Emirates develops new vegan options

© Emirates

Emirates Develops New Vegan Options to Serve on Flights, Including Meals for Kids

Middle Eastern airline Emirates has marked Veganuary by developing new vegan dishes to add to its range of over 300 plant-based options. Chefs from the airline gathered in the Emirates Flight Catering Concept Development Kitchen to workshop new dishes and ingredients; these included savory vegan cannelloni and a lookalike solid egg substitute made from legumes that was trialed in a spicy shakshuka sauce. Additionally, the airline has recently introduced a range of vegan meals for children, including pizza, sweet and sour vegetable casserole, vegetable fajitas, and cauliflower bites with sweet sauce. For dessert, options such as strawberry crumble and vegan chocolate pudding are available. Emirates’ selection of vegan dishes is available on flights to 140 destinations worldwide, using ingredients from various global suppliers. These include …

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Nhà hàng chay Veggie Saigon, Vietnam HappyCow

Nhà hàng chay Veggie Saigon, Vietnam ©HappyCow

Mexico City & Ho Chi Minh City Appear on HappyCow’s World Top Ten Vegan-Friendly Cities for 1st Time

Vegan food discovery platform HappyCow has published its annual report outlining the world’s most vegan-friendly cities. Notably, while most cities on the list witnessed modest growth in fully vegan listings in 2024, Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam saw a dramatic rise throughout the year. Los Angeles, Portland, Berlin, and Amsterdam all saw a decline in the number of vegan listings, but the accessibility of vegan products and their strong vegan communities were enough to keep them on the list. Hamburg, Paris, and Bangkok, which appeared in the top ten for 2024, have been pushed further down the rankings this time around. Top 10 London, UK, and Berlin, Germany top the list for the fourth consecutive year. These cities have 3600+ and 1700+ listings respectively …

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Accor Group, the largest in Europe and the sixth worldwide emphasized the importance of plant-based eating to reduce the group's carbon footprint and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

© Accor Group

Europe’s Largest Hospitality Group, Accor Group, Expands Plant-Based Menus Across 5,500 Hotels, Aims for 50% Vegan by 2030

French multinational hospitality company Accor Group, the largest in Europe and the sixth worldwide, has highlighted the importance of plant-based eating to reduce the group’s carbon footprint and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. As part of its sustainability strategy, the group plans to offer plant-based options at all its hotels in the coming years, and it additionally targets having 50% of menu items plant-based by 2030, in line with the global “Good Food Feels Great” policy. The news was shared by Antonietta Varlese, Senior Vice President of Sustainability and Communication Accor Americas, who released a press release on social media, revealing that the company already offers plant-based options in 72% of its hotels in the Americas. “On World Vegan Day, celebrated today, we reflect on …

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Beyond Meat launches at UK airport and train station bars

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Beyond Burger Launches at UK Airport & Train Station Bars in Partnership With SSP Group

Beyond Meat has partnered with travel restaurateur SSP Group to launch the Beyond Burger at airport and train station bars across the UK. The burger will roll out at 13 locations, including Brigg & Stow at Bristol Airport and Camden Bar at London Stansted, from October 24. It will then launch at six more bars from December. Customers will be able to order the plant-based patty in a bun with lettuce, tomato, onion, house burger sauce, and a side of chips. The Beyond Burger is high in protein at 16g per 100g, and made with ingredients that are Kosher, Halal, and vegan certified. It also has a significantly lower environmental impact than a comparable beef patty. “We strive to offer as much choice as we …

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Major hotel chains operating in China have announced plans to make 30% to 70% of their menus plant-based by 2025 to align with global sustainability goals and customer preferences for healthy options.

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Major Hotel Chains in China Commit to 30% Plant-Based Menus by 2025

Major hotel chains operating in China have announced plans to make 30% to 70% of their menus plant-based by 2025 to align with global sustainability goals and customer preferences for healthy options. InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) which operates 700 hotels in Greater China plans to increase its plant-based menu items by 30% next year to reinforce its core values of responsible sourcing and environmental stewardship. The Huazhu Group selected Orange Hotels, its Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability (LOHAS) brand concept, to roll out the ambitious goal of transforming 70% of its menus to plant-based options across its 750 locations. Meanwhile, Dossen Hotel Group, the first domestic hotel chain to adopt a plant-based policy, aims for a 30% increase in plant-based menu items. Founded in 2006, …

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Schiphol Airport

© Schiphol Airport

Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport to Make 60% of Food Offerings Plant-Based by 2030

Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, the Netherlands’ main international airport and the third-largest in Europe, has announced plans to reduce emissions by expanding its plant-based food and beverage offerings. By 2030, 60% of the airport’s food offerings (measured by ingredient volume) will be plant-based, with appealing product presentations encouraging consumers to choose the new sustainable options. It is hoped that the measures will reduce emissions by 50% across the entire food offering compared to 2023. The menu changes will take place step-by-step in order to keep prices stable. The airport will also introduce other ethical food standards by 2025 — for example, coffee and cocoa will be FairTrade and all products offered will be certified deforestation-free. Food and beverage outlets will be expected to take responsibility for …

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UK airport group reports rise in sales of vegan dishes

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Vegan Brunch Skyrocketing: UK’s Largest Airport Group MAG Reports Surge in Plant-Based Orders

MAG, the UK’s largest airport group and operator of Manchester, London Stansted, and East Midlands airports, has seen a significant increase in the popularity of vegan and non-dairy products. Sales of vegan breakfasts and brunches are reportedly up 20% compared to last year, with one outlet (Giraffe at Manchester Airport) seeing an eightfold increase. A JD Wetherspoon pub at London Stansted has seen sales of its vegan chilli rise by 167%, while a vegan hot dog at Manchester’s Lion & Antelope is 90% more popular than last year. Sales of milk alternatives are also up, rising by 10% overall and 25% at Costa Coffee in Manchester Airport. This trend is particularly prevalent among coffee drinkers catching early morning flights. Oat milk is by far the …

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JetBlue Airways

© JetBlue Airways

JetBlue Airways to Provide Oat Milk as Part of Complimentary Beverage Offerings on Flights

US airline JetBlue Airways has announced that oat milk packets are now available as part of the complimentary beverage offerings on its flights. Coffee and tea drinkers can enjoy Lakeland Dairies’ Oat in a Stick milk alternative in their drinks, as JetBlue diversifies its beverage portfolio to cater to customers’ dietary preferences and restrictions. The airline also offers free and unlimited snacks on its flights, with all current options suitable for vegans. The snacks include Popchips Sea Salt, Partake Classic Grahams, Safe + Fair Everything Bagel Pretzels, and Chifles Plantain Chips. On flights longer than two hours, passengers can order the Mediterranean-inspired SavorUp snack box, which is vegan and certified kosher. The box contains hummus, multigrain tortilla chips, artichokes, olives, and coconut cookies. On flights …

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Vegius plant-based travel and lifestyle app

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Vegius Launches $120K Crowdfunding Campaign for App That Could “Revolutionize Plant-Based Travel”

Vegius, an app that aims to connect plant-based travel and lifestyle enthusiasts with vegan options across the globe, has announced a crowdfunding campaign on Wefunder. The team behind the app, which was previously called The Vegan Stay, hopes to raise $120,000. Powered by AI, Vegius already offers accommodation in over 30 countries and can provide personalized deals and suggestions. The team hopes to expand this significantly, making it easier for vegans and vegetarians to find accommodation, eateries, and experiences that align with their values. The app also helps small vegan businesses to gain more exposure. Additionally, for every booking made through the app, up to 50% of fees collected are donated to animal sanctuaries. Currently, Vegius has partnerships with 125 sanctuaries across 40 countries. Catering …

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sacrifice nothing add for the vegetarian butcher

© The Vegetarian Butcher

LSG Group & The Vegetarian Butcher Partner to Bring Plant-Based Meat to Onboard Dining

The LSG Group and The Vegetarian Butcher have announced a new partnership to introduce plant-based and vegan meals in airline catering. Through the collaboration, the LSG Group will offer its customers the ability to cater to vegetarians, flexitarian, and meat-loving passengers using The Vegetarian Butcher’s broad range of plant-based products that “allow people to continue to enjoy their favorite meat dishes without giving up the taste or texture.” Growing trend of plant-based diets The LSG Group is a leading provider of end-to-end onboard products and services. Its brand, LSG Sky Chefs, a classic catering and hospitality expert serving airline and train customers, delivers an impressive 308 million meals annually in 131 locations worldwide. The Vegetarian Butcher is currently joining LSG Sky Chefs at the ongoing …

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The UK's first vegan hotel is for sale

Image: Saorsa 1875 on Facebook

“UK’s First Vegan Hotel” Goes on the Market in Scotland

An 11-bedroom establishment described as “the UK’s first vegan hotel” is up for sale in the Scottish town of Pitlochry, inviting offers of around £950,000. Called Saorsa 1875, the hotel was founded on the principle that “the correlation between style and animal products is outdated”. It caters to vegans, vegetarians, and those who are curious about a plant-based lifestyle. The hotel has a lounge bar and restaurant, serving plant-based meals made with local, seasonal, and foraged produce; craft beers, wines, and cocktails are also available. Outside, visitors can enjoy large gardens with woodland walks, and there is also a yurt that can be used for retreats or private functions. Since opening in 2019, Saorsa 1875 has welcomed numerous guests, including celebrities such as comedian Alan …

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NotCo LATAM

© NotCo

NotCo Partners with LATAM Airlines to Offer NotBurger & NotChicken Aboard Domestic Flights

Chilean foodtech company NotCo and LATAM Airlines Group have announced the introduction of NotCo’s plant-based products in the Premium Economy cabin of LATAM’s domestic flights in Chile as part of a menu update. This partnership will see the integration of six unique sandwich options into LATAM’s in-flight service, crafted through a joint effort between the airline’s chefs and NotCo. The menu options, which will vary weekly, feature NotCo’s plant-based products, including NotMila, NotChicken, and NotBurger, in combination with a variety of other ingredients. Max Silva, the country manager of NotCo in Chile, stated, “Getting on board LATAM planes is simply a dream for the company. Bringing the revolution and innovation that so distinguishes us to a company of such magnitude as LATAM makes us feel …

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Korea vegan food tour

© Green Earth Travel

Korea Tourism Organization Launches Nine-Day Vegan Food Tour

The Korea Tourism Organization has organized the country’s first ever vegan food tour, after seeing a significant increase in the number of people adopting a vegan lifestyle. The tour is nine days long and includes stops in major cities such as Seoul, Busan, and Jeju Island. Participants will be able to sample traditional plant-based Korean dishes at restaurants and cooking classes; they will also learn about the country’s history and culture through activities such as meditating at a temple, visiting an apple farm, and exploring UNESCO World Heritage sites. The tour will be operated by Green Earth Travel, which also offers vegan tours in areas such as Cambodia, Nepal, and Bali. It will take place for the first time in September 2024. “South Korea has …

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SWISS airlines serving EggField vegan eggs

© SWISS / EggField

Alt Eggs from Aquafaba Created by Zurich Startup EggField Now Available to SWISS Air Passengers

EggField, a Zurich startup for plant-based egg alternatives, is enjoying its first successes in in-flight catering thanks to its collaboration with Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) and Hiltl restaurant. Thanks to the new partnership with EggField and Hiltl, SWISS business passengers have been able to find additional sustainable menu items, including the plant-based pumpkin and chestnut goulash with spaetzli, on the boarding menu since the beginning of 2024. The spaetzli are made entirely without eggs. This has been ensured by Hiltl, which, as a vegetarian pioneer, has been creating meat-free dishes for SWISS travelers since 2009. Hiltl has been using the natural egg alternatives made from aquafaba from EggField since 2020 and has thus been able to develop its spaetzli without animal eggs. The EggField …

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British Airways offers Glebe Farm oat milk on long-haul flights

© Glebe Farm

British Airways to Offer Glebe Farm Oat Milk on All Long-Haul Flights

British Airways has announced that it will begin offering plant-based milk as an option on board its long-haul flights. The carrier has chosen oat milk made by UK brand Glebe Farm, which grows its own gluten-free oats in Cambridgeshire. In 2022, Glebe Farm told vegconomist that it hoped to “redefine the UK oat milk market”, encouraging a shift away from imported products. While the oat milk will soon be available on flights, British Airways warns that supply may initially be limited until the rollout is complete. The airline also offers a vegan inflight meal, though this must be ordered 24 hours in advance of the flight’s departure. In 2022, British Airways began offering a range of plant-based meals in first-class and business-class airport lounges as …

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Airline Emirates introduces more vegan recipes

© Emirates

Airline Emirates to Expand its Range of 300 Vegan Recipes as Demand Continues to Rise

Middle Eastern airline Emirates has announced it will be rolling out more vegan recipes in 2024 in response to rising demand. The carrier says vegan meal consumption has grown by 40% YOY, in line with passenger volumes. However, the increase on some routes has exceeded this figure, with particularly significant increases noted on routes to China, Japan, and the Philippines. The airline says it served 450,000 vegan meals in 2023, compared to 280,000 in 2022. Emirates already has a “vault” of 300 vegan recipes, which are in rotation across its 140 destinations. This figure is up from 180 recipes in 2022, and will be expanded even further in 2024. New dishes will include vegan pizza and chocolate pecan cake. Vegan meals can be requested on …

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mediterrean style plant-based shrimps

© Happy Ocean Foods

Veganuary: Germany’s National Rail Company Deutsche Bahn to Serve Happy Ocean Foods’ Shrymp & Tuna

Munich startup Happy Ocean Foods, producer of a popular line of soy-based shrimp as well as a recently added line of vegan tuna, announces a cooperation with the country’s national rail operator Deutsche Bahn to offer both products aboard its nationwide trains for Veganuary 2024. In addition to Deutsche Bahn, the restaurant chain L’Osteria is also working with Happy Ocean Foods for Veganuary across Germany. The chain, which operates 157 locations in eight countries, with over 6,000 employees in the DACH region, the UK, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic, also offers vegan tuna made by fellow German brand BettaF!sh. Happy Ocean Foods’ flagship product, the SHRYMP, was launched in November 2021 and the following year enjoyed success on The Lion’s Den — …

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LoveRaw Caramelised_Biscuit_Wafer

© LoveRaw

LoveRaw Secures First-Ever Airline Listing Offering Cre&m Wafer Bar on All Virgin Atlantic Flights

UK plant-based chocolate brand LoveRaw announces that it has secured its first-ever airline listing with Virgin Atlantic in collaboration with Gate Gourmet, a leading global provider of airline catering solutions. The brand’s Cre&m Wafer Bar caramelised biscuits have already debuted onboard and are available at the self-service Wander Wall in Upper and Premium Class on all Virgin Atlantic flights. Cre&m Wafer Bar features a biscuit cream with a caramel layer and crunchy biscuit crumb. Like all LoveRaw’s chocolates, the bar is free of palm oil, dairy products, or artificial ingredients.  Rimi Thapar, co-founder at LoveRaw, comments: “Virgin Atlantic is our first on-flight listing, so this is a key milestone for us. We have created a bespoke LoveRaw Cream Filled Wafer Bar in a single bar format.” The …

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Beck Hall plant-based hotel

© Beck Hall

Yorkshire’s Beck Hall to Become “England’s First” Fully Plant-Based Hotel

Luxury Yorkshire hotel Beck Hall is set to become fully plant-based from December 1. The hotel, which is located in the village of Malham in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, claims to be the first in England to make the transition. On Facebook, owners Louise and Andy Macbeth explained that they had personally transitioned to a vegan diet for ethical reasons and wanted the business to reflect their values. The hotel’s menu is already around 50% plant-based, and the couple say they are “developing some of the most innovative, exciting and delicious vegan dishes we’ve ever tried” in preparation to become fully animal-free. The food is described as “for everyone”, not just for vegans and vegetarians. It will include Sunday roasts and afternoon teas as …

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Dubai's first vegan-friendly hotel rooms

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Hotel Unveils “Dubai’s First” Vegan-Friendly Hotel Rooms

Dubai hotel NH Collection Dubai The Palm has launched what it claims are the city’s first vegan-friendly hotel rooms. The rooms feature sustainable, animal-free bedding and vegan snacks. They also contain environmentally friendly dry amenities — including compostable shower caps and sanitary bags — which all come in natural, plastic-free packaging. All wet amenities in the rooms are free of animal ingredients and have not been tested on animals. They also do not contain gluten, sulfates, or parabens. The hotel claims to offer a wide range of food and drink options that are suitable for vegan guests. Additionally, the building has introduced sustainable systems such as solar panels for water heating, the reuse of condensed water from the air conditioning system for irrigation, and an …

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