Starbucks just launched a fully plant-based breakfast sandwich at a single test location in Issaquah, Washington.
The new meat-free breakfast sandwich combines a mung-bean egg, dairy-free cheese, and a plant-based meat patty. Much like the meat-based and partially plant-based breakfast sandwiches already part of the Starbucks menu, the fully vegan option is served on an English muffin.
While the brands behind the sandwich have not yet been revealed, the plant-based egg is visually similar to JUST’s folded egg, which launched in April of this year. JUST also produces its vegan eggs using mung bean, much like the new Starbucks breakfast sandwich. However, the brand declined to comment on the new menu item. Starbucks confirmed that the sandwich will be available for a limited time.
Starbucks has yet to confirm the producer of the plant-based cheese, too. But in September, the same Issaquah Starbucks trialed cashew-based cream cheese from Miyoko’s Creamery.
In June, Starbucks partnered with Impossible Foods to launch a breakfast sandwich made using both plant-based and animal-derived ingredients. The sandwich combined Impossible’s vegan sausage patty along with dairy cheese and traditional egg.
This marked Starbuck’s first trial of plant-based meat in the U.S., though the coffee chain launched a similar flexitarian sandwich using Beyond Meat patties in Canada earlier this year.
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Starbucks Embraces Plant-Based
Starbucks will also launch quiche-style Plant Powered Potato Bake Bites at the Issaquah branch. The bites are made with mung bean-based egg, presumably the same type as the breakfast sandwich. The plant-based menu trial also includes “Chickpea Bites.”
The new plant-based sandwich and Plant Powered Potato Bake Bites are available for $5.45 and $4.75, respectively, at the Issaquah Starbucks.
Much like other large chains, Starbucks has increasingly emphasized vegan ingredients as part of flexitarian menu options. The company says that the continued expansion of its plant-based menu is in response to both increased customer demand and its goal of becoming a resource-positive company.
In June, Impossible Foods founder and CEO Dr. Patrick O. Brown said: “Starbucks’ commitment to add more plant-based ingredients to its menu is a new benchmark for large corporations.”
Starbucks Hong Kong recently announced the launch of two new menu items made using Impossible’s vegan meat. The Maize Impossible Sandwich—which features animal-derived egg, mayonnaise, and cheese—and the Spiced Impossible Puff.
“We’re excited to work with Starbucks,” added Brown. “Which shares our mission to make the global food system sustainable.”
