Patio-goers rejoice: Greenleaf Foods, SPC, owner of leading plant-based brands Lightlife and Field Roast, and Boston Pizza, Canada’s number one casual dining restaurant, together are kicking off the outdoor dining season with two new menu items made with plant-based protein. Available now through Labor Day, the restaurant will offer a Lightlife Plant-Based Burger and a pizza featuring Field Roast Plant-Based Italian Sausage Crumbles.

“We believe people should have great-tasting plant-based options whether they’re cooking at home or eating out,” says Dan Curtin, President of Greenleaf Foods. “Boston Pizza is celebrated for its delicious food and great patio atmosphere, and we’re excited to partner with them to bring even more people together by offering flavorful, plant-based menu choices to celebrate the return of patio season.”

This marks the first time Boston Pizza will offer plant-based protein on its menu. The two new summer menu additions include:

The BP’s Perfectly Plant-Based Burger – Topped with lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, pickles, mayonnaise and sandwiched between a toasted brioche bun, the Lightlife Plant-Based Burger is made to love with a crave-worthy taste and simple ingredients.

The Hungry Herbivore Pizza – Field Roast Italian Sausage is crafted with fennel, onions, eggplant and sweet peppers. Boston Pizza chefs toss the plant-based sausage in a BBQ sauce, layering it with their signature pizza sauce, mozzarella, red pepper, Italian herbs and parmesan.

Both options can be made vegan, and the BBQ Plant-Based Sausage Crumble can be added to Boston Pizza Classic Nachos or as part of a Create Your Own pizza.

Consumers have shown an increasing appetite for plant-based protein options in recent years, with a majority of growth in the sector largely being driven by flexitarians. Data shows  that more than 40 percent of Canadians are actively trying to eat more plant-based foods, suggesting that more people will also expect restaurants to offer plant-based choices when dining out.1

“Boston Pizza is proud to partner with Lightlife and Field Roast to offer two delicious new plant-based options on the BP menu this summer,” says Peter Blackwell, Senior Vice President of Marketing & Communications at Boston Pizza. “We know our guests will love these new menu items, which have been developed by our culinary team to taste absolutely incredible. Whether you follow a meatless diet or are trying plant-based protein for the very first time, these new recipes are sure to satisfy our guests.”