A collaboration between US alternative protein producer Beyond Meat and fast food chain KFC has proved a hit with consumers and on social media.

KFC trialled wings and nuggets containing imitation chicken but coated with its famous fried breadcrumbs in a store in Atlanta, Georgia in mid-August.

The result was more units sold in a single day than the branch would normally sell in a week, the company said.

Beyond Meat initially created a plant-based burger that it says “looks, cooks, and satisfies like beef”.

It has expanded rapidly, and has also partnered with Dunkin’ Donuts and Carl’s Jr. A similar business, Impossible, has its plant-based burgers in White Castle, Qdoba, Little Caesars and Burger King.

“Our target customers for this product were flexitarians looking to incorporate plant-based choices into their diets,” a KFC representative told the New York Times.