KFC will roll out 'green nuggets' in restaurants around America this month, the latest in a trend changing the face of the fast food industry.

The franchise joins Burger King, McDonalds and other fast food giants putting meat-free alternatives on the menu in response to changing customer needs.

"This is really about where the customer is going; they want to eat more plant-based proteins," Kevin Hochman, US president of KFC told CBNC.

"It's January, so it's a time of New Year's resolutions and wanting to do something different in your diet."

January is also the month of 'Veganuary', a UK-based campaign that challenges people to phase meat out of their diets. Over the past few years, its popularity has soared with 2 million registrations estimated for this year's challenge.

With more and more vegan options on the market, it is now easier than ever to reduce or remove meat from our diets to lighten our load on the planet.

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