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Fast food chain LEON has announced an update to its core plant-based menu, partnering with mushroom-based protein producer Fable Food Co to reformulate its signature LOVe Burger across its UK restaurant estate.
Under the partnership, the updated LOVe Burger will feature Fable Food Co's shiitake mushroom patty as its centre-plate protein base. The commercial deployment marks an operational shift for the QSR chain's plant-based platform, replacing processed meat alternatives with whole-food fungal ingredients to align with the brand's founding ethos of minimally processed fast food.
The new burger build has commenced commercial availability across LEON restaurants nationwide throughout the United Kingdom.
Shiitake Mushroom Patty and Culinary Profile
The updated LOVe Burger architecture is engineered around the natural umami profile and fibrous bite of cultivated shiitake mushrooms.
The culinary build integrates several distinct sauce, produce, and plant-based components:
🍄 Shiitake Mushroom Patty: Crafted by Fable Food Co using real shiitake mushrooms to deliver a succulent texture and rich, savoury depth without heavy processing aids.
🧀 Mature Cheddar-Style Cheeze: A plant-based cheese alternative formulated to deliver standard melt characteristics and savoury sharpness.
🍅 Fresh Salad Elements: Layered with sliced ripe tomatoes, crisp mixed salad leaves, and tangy gherkin pickles.
🥣 Dual Sauce Layering: Finished with LEON's proprietary Original Burger Sauce and a tangy mustard mayonnaise.
Michael Fox, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Fable Food Co, stated that partnering with LEON represents a key milestone for the business, noting that the restaurant chain established its reputation on providing fast food derived from natural ingredients. Fox added that anchoring the reformulated LOVe Burger with a mushroom patty validates the culinary viability of fungi in mainstream QSR burgers.
Whole-Food Ingredients and QSR Plant-Based Shifts
The menu collaboration reflects broader category shifts across the European quick-service and fast-casual dining sectors, where operators are moving away from ultra-processed mock meats towards clean-label, plant-forward ingredients.
While early plant-based burgers relied heavily on soy, pea protein isolates, and methylcellulose binders to mimic conventional beef, restaurant operators are increasingly turning to fungi and culinary vegetables to satisfy consumer scrutiny over ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and lengthy ingredient decks.
By integrating whole shiitake mushroom inputs into its core plant-based burger, LEON reinforces its operational focus on wholesome nutrition and gut-friendly Mediterranean dietary principles, giving flexitarian and vegan diners an approachable whole-food alternative.
UK Foodservice Availability
The revised LOVe Burger featuring Fable Food Co's shiitake mushroom patty is now available across all participating company-operated and franchise LEON locations in the United Kingdom.
The menu item is integrated across front-counter registers, digital self-service ordering kiosks, and the brand's mobile loyalty application for collection and delivery.
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