Starbucks added plant-based products to its menu in China. They have introduced meatless pasta and added oat milk to their lattes. The company teamed up with oat milk makers and plant-based companies since customers in China now prefer to purchase healthier choices.
Since Tuesday, 4,200 stores in China started serving vegetarian-friendly products such as oatmeal matcha lattes and lasagna made with Beyond Meat ingredients. The company partnered with Oatly, an oat milk maker, and plant-based protein companies such as Omnipork and Beyond Meat to provide animal-free products to its Chinese customers.
According to the senior vice president, chief operating officer, and president of Starbucks China Leo Tsoi, the upgraded menu makes it easier for its Chinese customers to start living a healthier lifestyle. The move was the company's initiate to changing eating habits in the world's second-largest economy.
A partner with consulting firm Bain and Company Derek Deng claimed that health and wellness would involve eating a healthy lifestyle and that this is one of the most important consumer trends in China at present. Deng also wrote a report for Bain last year, where he suggested that the food and beverage industry would experience tremendous growth in China if healthy living would be promoted by companies operating in the country.
He also announced that demand for flavor enhancer monosodium glutamate, otherwise known as MSG, significantly decreased over the years while oyster sauce experienced the opposite since Chinese customers have shown their interest for healthier alternatives to the usual food that they consume.
According to CNN, plant-based protein companies have also shown interest in entering the Chinese market where meat, such as pork, is part of the staple Chinese diet. Impossible Foods raised 500 million USD in 2020 to expand its services into Asia and referred to the Chinese market as a massive priority for its expansion. Beyond Meat products, on the other hand, are already available in grocery stores and restaurants in Hong Kong. However, the partnership with Starbucks is the first of the company's endeavor in mainland China.
According to Beyond Meat's chief financial officer Ethan Brown, the launch of its partnership with Starbucks is an important milestone for the company since it advances its goal to increase the accessibility of its plant-based protein consumers globally.
The report warned that Beyond Meat and Omnipork might not be healthier options, but the alternatives to actual meat have similar calorie and protein counts. They are, however, higher in sodium content, according to nutritionist Lisa Drayer.
