Global coffee chain Starbucks recently announced the launch of its new plant-based food options in two major Middle Eastern markets, including 190 outlets in the city of Dubai. Developed in collaboration with California-headquartered food tech giant Beyond Meat, the new menu items can now be ordered at all Starbucks stores in the UAE and Kuwait.
Starbucks has launched two new plant-based food options in two key Gulf countries in response to the increasing demand for plant-based protein alternatives in the region. Starbucks is a major QSR player across the Middle East, with over 190 outlets in Dubai alone. Customers can order the new dishes at the coffee chain’s branches in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah in the UAE and across Kuwait.
Thanks to a partnership with Beyond Meat, the coffee giant has debuted two new sandwich additions to its food menu, the Beyond Meat Triple Cheese Wrap and the Beyond Meatball Arabian Ciabatta. The items have been created specifically to cater to local consumer tastes and preferences, but neither are suitable for vegans as both contain dairy products.
Starbucks is always looking to develop new and exciting products for our customers who want to eat more plant-rich foods. We will continue to innovate our food and beverage menu, offering greater variation and more delicious plant-based choices, as we work towards becoming a resource positive companyRana Shaheen, Regional Communications and CSR Manager for Starbucks Coffee MENA
The Beyond Meat Triple Cheese Wrap is made with Beyond Beef and accompanied by a three cheese blend of red cheddar, mozzarella and feta topped with herb-roasted bell peppers and marina sauce.
The second menu addition, the Beyond Meatball Arabian Ciabatta features the plant-based Beyond Beef on a bed of labneh (a type of thick yogurt) and baby spinach.
Rana Shaheen, Regional Communications and CSR Manager for Starbucks Coffee MENA, which manages the chain in the region, said in a statement that the coffee chain is committed to being innovative with its menus: “Starbucks is always looking to develop new and exciting products for our customers who want to eat more plant-rich foods. We will continue to innovate our food and beverage menu, offering greater variation and more delicious plant-based choices, as we work towards becoming a resource positive company.”
Presently, Starbucks offers a range of dairy free alternatives like soy, oat, coconut and almond along with reformulating its signature beverages like the Pumpkin Spice Latte to make them dairy-free.
In April last year, Starbucks partnered with Beyond Meat and other alt protein players like OmniPork and Oatly to launch a new plant-based menu in China. Similarly, in September last year, Starbucks added plant-based items on its menus for the Asian market that included products made with Impossible Foods.
Starbucks added that its aggressive expansion of plant-based menu items is a part of its company-wide pledge to become more eco-friendly and ‘resource-positive‘.
