Starbucks to debut Beyond Meat products to new China menu

Starbucks’ menus in China will feature Beyond Meat products for the first time beginning Wednesday, according to CNBC.

The world’s largest coffee chain said the new menu will feature burgers and pastas made with Beyond Meat’s plant-based beef products, according to the report.  It will also include a plant-based pork alternative known as Omnipork and a popular non dairy milk called Oatley.

It comes as the world’s biggest coffee chain has reopened a large majority of its stores in China, where the  coronavirus outbreak appears to be slowing down. 

Through its launch with Starbucks, Beyond Meat has entered the China market for the first time. The Los Angeles-based company has shown interest in expanding into Asia, where modern plant-based meat products are not as widely available as in the US or Europe. 

Plant-based meat makers like Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods market their products as more sustainable and environmentally friendly than conventional meat. They’re hoping to convince meat eaters around the world to reduce their consumption of meat or ditch it entirely in favor of a plant-based diet amid rising awareness of climate change.

Both Starbucks and Beyond Meat did not immediately respond to requests for comment.