
“If I think about both beverage and food, the #1 trend that I would highlight there is just the consumer shift and consumer preferences around plant-based.”
Starbucks is innovating its menu as consumer behaviour shows a ‘dominant shift’ towards plant-based food.
Kevin R. Johnson, CEO, President, and Director along with other Starbucks executives discussed the trend in an investor earnings call earlier this month.
Senior Research Analyst Dennis Geiger’s asked Johnson about his thoughts on ‘the food opportunity going forward’ since Starbucks’ saw an all-time high food attachment (purchases of food attached to beverages) in Q1.
Johnson replied: ‘Strategically, we are a beverage-first company.
“And by focusing and understanding that we are a beverage-first company that what we do is create that experience around those handcrafted beverages has been very important in the growth that we’ve been driving.
“Now when we attach food, our R&D teams have been very thoughtful about how to have the food menu be relevant to the dayparts and to the beverages that we sell.
“And they’ve done a phenomenal job with that over the years. And if I were to say what is the — probably the most dominant shift in consumer behavior is this whole shift to plant-based.
“And that is a shift both in beverage and in food.”
More animal-free options
The CEO then added that Starbucks has introduced several dairy-free alternatives including almond milk, soy milk, and coconut milk in the past.
The coffee giant is also set to offer oat milk on its menus nationwide after a trial at 1,300 Midwest stores proved successful last January.
Speaking about the food side, Johnson said: “You see what we’ve done with things like the Impossible Sausage Breakfast Sandwich and you’re seeing more and more plant-based proteins in our food menu.”
Johnson revealed that the coffee giant is consistently working on expanding its plant-based menu. He said that one Starbucks store in the Seattle area is used as a ‘test site’ to trial the brand’s latest vegan offerings.
“We have one Starbucks store here in the Seattle area that we’ve gone to 100% plant-based food menu,” he said.
“We use that as sort of a test area when we innovate, create things here in our support center, the Tryer Center. We test in that store.”
Johnson summed up saying: “So if I think about both beverage and food, the #1 trend that I would highlight there is just the consumer shift and consumer preferences around plant-based.”
Vegan Starbucks
The global coffee chain has been introducing new menu items featuring plant-based meat from Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods in select markets across the world including Canada, New Zealand, and other countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
In June, it added a vegetarian Impossible Breakfast Sandwich to most outlets in the US along with rolling out its first vegan cold foam, made with almond milk.
This month, the coffee giant added a new dairy alternative called the Starbucks Original Nut Blend made from a blend of rice, hazelnuts, and cashew nuts to UK’s permanent menu.
In addition, the chain also unveiled a new menu unveiling a new vegan menu featuring a Beyond Meat breakfast sandwich, a ‘Cheese’ & Marmite Mini Ciabatta, Chick’n & BBQ Bean Hot Wrap, and a Sweetcorn Fritter Wrap.
Share this news to let others know about Starbucks’ plan to add more plant-based options.
Lifestyle
Vegan culture, food, beauty & more
Is Tobey Maguire vegan? Here’s what we know
- Mohsina Dodhiya
- 17th August 2023
Tobey Maguire often speaks about veganism and animal issues. Tobey Maguire, the actor best known for playing Spider-Man in the Sam Raimi trilogy, is a vegan. He has been a vegetarian since 1992 and became a vegan in 2009. A lifelong commitment to animal rights Maguire’s decision to go vegan was motivated by his love …
Continue reading “Is Tobey Maguire vegan? Here’s what we know”
Plant-based food jobs surge with 32% growth in just 3 months
- Mohsina Dodhiya
- 17th August 2023
The number of open jobs advertised in the plant-based industry increased by almost a third from April to July 2023, GlobalData reported. The plant-based food industry is booming, and this is reflected in the number of job openings in the sector. According to data from GlobalData, the number of open jobs advertised in the plant-based …
Continue reading “Plant-based food jobs surge with 32% growth in just 3 months”
VEGAN MEMES
NEED A LAUGH?
QUIZZES
All the quizzes you love to binge!
QUIZ: If you score 11/12 on this quiz, you’re a verified vegan food expert
- Marlon Farrugia
- 10th January 2020
How much vegan knowledge do you have stored away? Do you have to Google your way through a shopping trip, or do you have all the bad E-numbers memorised? Find out now with this quiz. Marlon Farrugia Marlon Farrugia is a freelance writer from Brighton. He has been a dedicated vegan for many years, and …
Continue reading “QUIZ: If you score 11/12 on this quiz, you’re a verified vegan food expert”
QUIZ: What is your perfect Vegan Halloween Costume?
- Marlon Farrugia
- 13th October 2019
Spook Season approaches. There will be ghosts, goblins, ghouls, and glucose. You need a costume, and you want to it to show off your personality, which means VEGAN. But what to choose? Take our quiz to find out your perfect outfit. Marlon Farrugia Marlon Farrugia is a freelance writer from Brighton. He has been a …
Continue reading “QUIZ: What is your perfect Vegan Halloween Costume?”
QUIZ: What kind of vegetable are you?
- Marlon Farrugia
- 26th September 2019
“If you were a vegetable, what kind would you be?” A question that has tormented humanity throughout the ages – until now. Read: QUIZ: If you score 19/20 on THIS quiz, you’re a Vegan God Marlon Farrugia Marlon Farrugia is a freelance writer from Brighton. He has been a dedicated vegan for many years, and …