Committed to the simple principle of doing what’s right, as one of the world’s largest and fastest growing quick service restaurants, Burger King® will work to help address a core industry challenge: the environmental impact of beef.
According to the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization, livestock is responsible for approximately 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Cows release methane, a greenhouse gas that traps the sun's heat and warms the planet, as a by-product of their digestion.
To help tackle this environmental issue, the Burger King® brand partnered with top scientists to develop and test a new diet for cows, which according to initial study results, reduces up to 33% per day, on average, of cows' daily methane emissions during the last three to four months of their lives.
The formula for this new diet is open source and fairly simple to implement. Preliminary tests suggest that adding 100 grams of lemongrass leaves to the cows’ daily veterinary prescribed diet during their last four months, helps them release less methane as they digest their food.
To test and develop the formula, the brand collaborated with globally renowned scientists, Octavio Castelan, Ph.D, Professor at the Autonomous University at the State of Mexico and Ermias Kebreab, Ph.D, Professor at the University of California, Davis throughout the process.
Starting on July 14, select Burger King® restaurants in Miami, New York, Austin, Portland, and Los Angeles will offer the Reduced Methane Emissions Beef Whopper® sandwich, made with beef sourced from cows that emit reduced methane, while supplies last.**
Learn more about the Restaurant Brands for Good framework.
*Reduced Methane Emissions Beef means up to 33% reduction, on average, of methane emissions per day during the cows’ last 3 to 4 months of their lives.
**Reduced Methane Emission Beef Whopper® sandwiches will be available at the following locations and restaurants: Miami – 79th Court; New York City – 7th Avenue; Austin, Texas — North Lamar Boulevard; Los Angeles – North Bellflower Boulevard; and Portland, Ore. – SW Cedar Hills Blvd.
