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Starbucks executives discussed the company’s recent shift toward plant-based food and drink innovation during an investor earnings call this week. UBS financial analyst Dennis Greiger asked Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson about how the company is addressing changes in consumer behavior amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Johnson responded by pointing to various innovations that the chain has implemented, adding “and if I were to say what is probably the most dominant shift in consumer behavior, [it] is this whole shift to plant-based. And that is a shift both in beverage and in food.”
Starbucks adjusts to plant-based shift
In the beverage department, Starbucks added almond milk to its menus in 2016 and has since experimented with a variety of plant-based milk and drinks. This spring, the company will offer oat milk on its menus nationwide after a regional test at 1,300 Midwest stores proved successful last winter.
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This month, international coffee chain Starbucks added two new meatless sandwiches made with Beyond Meat products to its more than 200 locations in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Kuwait. The new sandwiches are Beyond Meat Beyond Meat Triple Cheese Wrap and Beyond Meatball Arabian Ciabatta, both of which are not vegan-friendly due to the inclusion of dairy.
“Starbucks is always looking to develop new and exciting products for our customers who want to eat more plant-rich foods,” Rana Shaheen, Regional Communications and CSR Manager for Starbucks Coffee Middle East and North Africa, said. “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.”
The coffee chain has quietly expanded its test market of the all-vegan Plant Powered Breakfast Sandwich previously only available in one Seattle area location to North Texas.