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McDonald’s is finally taking a nibble of the plant-based burger.
McDonald’s said Thursday that it will sell the PLT, or the plant, lettuce and tomato burger for 12 weeks in 28 restaurants in South-western Ontario by the end of the month. McDonald’s says it developed a special recipe using burgers from Beyond Meat, a California-based startup that makes “meat” from pea protein, canola oil, beet juice and other ingredients.
The small-market test is rolling out about six months after rival Burger King began testing the plant-based Impossible Foods burger, a rival to Beyond Meat. It’s now selling the Impossible Whopper nationwide because of strong demand from customers.
The entry of McDonald’s, the world’s largest burger chain, into the alternative meat arena has largely been seen as a question of when, and not if. Shares of Beyond Meat Inc. rose more than 11% to close at $154.34.
The burgers aren’t really aimed at vegans or vegetarians, but at meat eaters who perceive plant-based eating as healthier and more environmentally conscious. In a recent survey, the consulting firm Alix-Partners found that 61% of U.S. meat eaters sometimes order vegan or vegetarian food at restaurants.
McDonald’s says the PLT will be grilled on the same grill used for meat and eggs. Burger King will cook it separately, but only by request.
PETA, the animal rights organization, says it’s happy to see more plant-based options on fast food menus, even if they’re cooked next to meat.
“To PETA, helping animals is not about personal purity, it’s about reducing suffering,” PETA President Ingrid Newkirk said in a statement. “McDonald’s is doing that by serving them, and its customers are doing that by buying them.”
It’s been a breakthrough year for the companies that are trying to perfect the no-meat burger.
Beyond Meat became a publicly traded company in May when it listed its shares for $45 on the Nadaq. By July, those shares had risen more than 430%. Impossible Foods has raised more than $750 million, but remains private.
KFC last month began testing plant-based chicken nuggets and boneless wings at an Atlanta restaurant in partnership with Beyond Meat. Carl’s Jr. and Del Taco are also selling Beyond Meat products. Tim Hortons has tested a Beyond Meat breakfast sausage in Canada.
Impossible Foods announced in May that it was making meatless “sausage” crumbles for the Little Caesars pizza chain in some states.
Fans of Wendy’s have begun a petition to get the chain to add a plant-based burger to the menu. It’s garnered more than 26,000 signatures as of Thursday and earlier this month, CEO Todd Penegor said plant-based burgers are a “trend that will be here to stay.”
McDonald’s is pushing forward, albeit in a very limited introduction.
“Why just a small test? We’re in learning mode, so testing is a major part of how we develop our menu,” wrote Ann Wahlgren, McDonald’s vice president of global menu strategy. “It’s how we look- before we leap.”

Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser proclaimed October the fifth annual Louisiana Folklife Month, recognizing Louisiana’s rich living traditions and the people who sustain them.
Folklife month activities showcase “tradition bearers” in a series of public programs throughout Louisiana that highlight overlooked cultural communities and increase appreciation of the vital role folklorists play in sustaining the state’s distinct culture. All events will be introduced by folklife ambassadors and professional folklorists who will contribute contextual and historical information.
Lt. Governor Nungesser emphasized the importance of the folklife program and what it means for Louisiana, saying, “Folklife month is a perfect time for us to remember our traditions and honor our culture. Each of our traditions trace back to our ancestors and the people who colonized Louisiana, and without that, we would not have the identity we have today.”
Presentations will honor the following tradition bearers: Elaine Bourque, Acadian brown cotton weaver in Lafayette; Mariana Titus, artist, writer, photographer in Franklin; Janie Luster, Houma Indian artist, basketweaver, jewelry maker in Theriot; Zion Travelers Spiritual Singers, gospel quartet in Baton Rouge; and James Norcom “Buzz” Jackson III, songwriter in Covington.
Louisiana Folklife Month is a project of the Louisiana Folklife Commission in collaboration with the Louisiana Folklore Society and partner organizations in each of the host communities, and it is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities. An abridged listing of Folklife Month events is listed below. For more information these events, you can view the complete schedule of Folklife Month events around the state or visit the Louisiana Folklife Program website.
Honoring a St. Mary Parish Legend: Mariana Titus – Artist, Writer, Photographer, at the Alex P. Allain Main Branch Library in Franklin, Oct. 8, at 6 p.m.
From her early years, spent in Garden City, tradition bearer Mariana Titus was an avid reader and photographer. Mariana merged her experiences of growing up in bayou country and listening to these unique voices, with her innate gift of storytelling, to be able to create new stories and to re-tell the stories of others in an honest, authentic, uniquely St. Mary Parish voice.
Using this technique of listening and informally interviewing local people, she wrote six books. Mariana Titus will be honored, and will give her presentation, entitled St. Mary Parish: Roots and Reflections from a Native Daughter, in the very library that she frequented as a young girl and that is within walking distance of her mother’s — Mama T’s — front porch. She will be presented by folklife ambassador Rebecca Hamilton.

The City of Franklin will be a flurry of activity for the month of October.
Firstly, Oct. 1 will see National Night Out at the Franklin Recrecation Center from 6 to 8 p.m.
This annual event promotes amity between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve, fostering communication and good will.
Music will be provided by DJ Fab, refreshments will be available, and it is free to attend.
Fit Fun & Fabulous Serving St. Mary Parish will take place in downtown Franklin on Oct. 2, 3rd and 5th.
Oct. 2 will be the event’s kick-off party at the Teche Theatre for the Performing Arts from 6 to 8 p.m.
Oct. 3 will be the day of luncheons, health screenings, panels, info sessions and the health fair featuring local health agencies; and that will take place from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. in downtown Franklin.
Oct. 5 will be the close of the event with the Walk for Christ, gospel concert, dodge ball tournament and glow-in-the-dark glow ride, all taking place from 5:30 p.m. until dark in downtown Franklin.
Also on Oct. 5, at 10 a.m., ticketholders for the Fall Ramble Tour of Franklin and St. Mary Parish will meet at Church of the Assumption to begin their tour.
The event is hosted by the Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation in partnership with the Cajun Coast Convention Center and Visitors Bureau, Franklin Main Street, and the St. Mary Chapter of Louisiana Landmarks Society.
Tickets are being sold at www.lthp.org for $15-$50 each.
Oct. 26 is the official date of the Franklin Merchants Association’s 21st Annual Harvest Moon Festival on Main Street in downtown Franklin.
The festival starts at 8 a.m. with the 19th annual 5K Run/Walk, and will carry on throughout the day until 4 p.m. with food, crafts, live music, car show, the Mutt Strutt, children’s activities and the Bayou Bake Off at the Lamppost on Main Street.
The 2nd Annual Bayou Bake Off is hosted by CCCVB with categories including brownies, candy, cookies, pie, cobbler, custard, cake and cupcakes.
Check-in begins at 9:30 a.m. and goes until 10:30 a.m. with judging beginning at 11 a.m.
Winners will be announced at 1 p.m., and winners must be in attendance.
Scoring will be based on presentation, appropriate texture, taste, consistency and overall impression.
Contestants must be amateurs and all ages are encouraged to participate. Entries must be home cooked and not store bought.
More than one entry is acceptable.
Desserts must be prepared in a sanitary manner, completely cooked and no items must need refrigeration.
Six items are needed for cupcakes. Twelve items are needed for brownies, candy and cookies.
Pies, cobblers, custards and cakes must include the entire dessert.
Entries must be clearly marked with the contestant’s name and the name of the dessert in a sealed container with a recipe. Containers should also be labeled.
With permission, recipes may be used for promotions of the Cajun Coast or Harvest Moon Fest. If permission is not granted, it will not affect your opportunity to win.
Contestants may work as a team but only one award will be given to the team.
Desserts may be picked up after the awards. Any leftovers after 2 p.m. become the property of the Cajun Coast Visitors & Convention Bureau and Harvest Moon Fest.
The bureau reserves the right to use photos, names, images, videos and relevant quotes in promotion of the parish and Harvest Moon Fest.
For a complete list of rules, visit https://www.cajuncoast.com/event/21st-annual-harvest-moon-festival.
Also beginning Oct. 26, is the Franklin Fire Department’s Haunted House at its new location in the warehouse at Hospital Avenue and Haifleigh Street, next to the city’s recreation center, from 6 p.m. “until the last person leaves.”
The haunted house will also be held Oct. 29-31 at the same place at the same times.
Admission is free.
Oct. 31 will also see the City of Franklin’s Boo on the Bayou, a free family friendly event taking place along Teche Drive and in the Center Theatre lot from 6 to 8 p.m.
This event will offer trunk-or-treat opportunities, as well as music and costumes.
The Cajun Coast Visitors & Convention Bureau is sponsoring a promotion to get locals and visitors to attend four festivals throughout the parish during the month of October.
Earl the Egret, a piece of yard art, will be hidden at the Berwick Lighthouse Festival on October 3-6, the Chitimacha POW WOW on October 19, the Patterson Main Street and Historic Walking Tour on October 26, and Harvest Moon Fest on October 26 in Franklin.
Attendees are encouraged to take photos with Earl at the event, and send photos to info@cajuncoast.com.
Points will be assessed for each event attended, and photos on Instagram will gain bonus points with the #CajunCoast #FeedYourSoul.
The best spotter will be eligible to win prizes.
The rules are as follows:
—Earl the Egret, yard art, will be placed in a public area at the Berwick Lighthouse Festival, the Patterson Main Street and Historic Walking Tour Festival, the Chitimacha POW WOW and the Harvest Moon Fest in Franklin.
—Guests are encouraged to take photos with Earl when found and send them to the Cajun Coast at:
info@cajuncoast.com
Photos must be emailed to the Cajun Coast by Nov. 2 at 4 p.m. to be considered eligible.
—A form with name, address, cell number and signature must be completed.
—Five points will be assigned for each picture taken at each festival. Five is the maximum amount of points per festival, regardless of the number of photos taken, tagged or sent to the Cajun Coast for one event. A maximum of 20 points may be accumulated.
—Anyone that attends all four events will receive a bonus of 10 points.
—Bonus points for social media will be assigned from Instagram only, but use of hashtags and tagging for Facebook and Twitter are encouraged. One point will be assigned per post on Instagram per festival. Maximum number of points per festival is one.
—No purchase is necessary to win. All events are free except for the Chitimacha POW WOW. Earl will be placed in a public area that does not require an admission fee.
—Points will be tabulated within a week of the end of the contest, and a winner will be contacted and announced. The top five people with the highest number of points will win a prize pack worth over $100.
—Should there be a tie, a random winner will be selected from the highest number of points.
—By signing the form, you’re agreeing to allow Cajun Coast to use your photos in promotion of the Cajun Coast Visitors & Convention Bureau and the associated festivals.
For more information, contact the Cajun Coast at 985-380-8224 or info@cajuncoast.com.
To close out the year, and ring-in Franklin’s bicentennial, will be the City of Franklin’s 200th Anniversary New Year’s Celebration at the St. Mary Parish Courthouse Square from 6 p.m. to past midnight.
The celebration will feature Johnny Chauvin and the Mojo Band, Cupid and Dance Party Express, and DJ Fab.
This event will mark the beginning of a year-long observance of Franklin’s bicentennial, with various functions throughout 2020.

Complaints regarding Pelican Waste, the firm that services waste pickup in St. Mary Parish, have reached the ears of the parish council.
Parish President David Hanagriff said Wednesday that Pelican “for the most part has done a great job. For the first several years…they’ve done a wonderful job.
“But as of late, the last six, seven, eight months, it’s kind of gone down. We talked to Pelican and of course they’ve had issues, from labor, to equipment, new trucks.”
Hanagriff said he’s receiving calls from residents, and they’re growing. “It has to improve, if it doesn’t improve, we’re going to start imposing fines,” he said. “(Pelican) says it will start improving next week. If it doesn’t, I’m going to have them come before the council.”
In Chief Administrative Officer Henry “Bo” LaGrange’s report, he noted that tipping fees at the landfill will be increased by $1 per ton beginning Nov. 1. He said the fee was $36 per ton, then $37, and will now be $38 per ton.
LaGrange also reported that upkeep issues at The Plantation Inn site in Patterson have been largely addressed by the owners, and no enforcement actions are planned, but will be monitored.
In other business, Councilman Patrick Hebert announced plans to place an “In God We Trust” placard in the council room. It will hang above the council podium.
Also Wednesday, Councilman J Ina asked the council clerk to send correspondence to the council’s home rule charter advisory committee. “This thing has been dragging on for a long time,” Ina said. He said the process has taken too long and members need to be encouraged to finalize their work in considering changes to the document.
Council Clerk Lisa Morgan said a previous email to the committee resulted in no reply.
“Then we need to get willing people who want to do something,” Ina said.
“Is there anything that would prevent the council to serve as the charter review committee?” Councilman Craig Mathews asked.
“The council gets the final say,” Vice-chairman Kevin Voisin noted.
Ina reiterated that each council member picked a representative from their district, but that while it was “a good group” it seemed to be lagging.
Councilman Patrick Hebert said he spoke to commission member Jason Watson and was told the project was “extremely close” but there were problems having a quorum for a meeting.
“I’d like to get this wrapped up so we can move forward,” Ina said.
Councilman Ken Singleton noted that the charter has been modified over its 35-year history.