VeganBurg, an international plant-based burger chain with locations in San Francisco and Singapore, just announced a new limited-edition menu item in honor of the holiday, Hari Raya. The new burger is making headlines, as it is topped with Singapore’s first sunny-side-up vegan egg.
The Rasa Sayang Burg (Malay for “feel the love”) has launched one month prior to Hari Raya, the Singapore name for the festival of Eid, which is set to take place on June 15. This holiday marks the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, where participants break their fasts by feasting with friends and family. In a press release, VeganBurg noted that its new burger “captures the joy of the festive season and evokes warm memories of celebration with friends and family.”
The burger features a cohesive medley of southeast Asian flavors to promote this sense of community. The plant-based patty consists of a seasoned and breaded crisp chick’n’ wheat protein base, topped with a vegan sunny-side-up egg, lettuce, cucumber slices, sweet caramelized onions, vegan aioli, and kampong samba sauce, all sandwiched together between two wholemeal vegan hamburger buns. Guests can opt to complete their meal with the Singapore location’s classic Coconut Fries or Rose Bandung, a traditional Singaporean and Malay beverage made with rose milk syrup.
Alex Tan, founder of VeganBurg, said in a press release, “Celebrating diversity is a big part of what we do at VeganBurg and the Rasa Sayang Burg is the perfect tribute to Singapore’s diverse multi-cultural food heritage. For many, we’re certain that the Rasa Sayang Burg will bring to their delight a familiar taste of Southeast Asia.”
The Rasa Sayang Burg will be available for two months only at the VeganBurg Singapore location.
The success of VeganBurg in Singapore and the addition of this new vegan egg demonstrate the global shift of plant-based culture toward the East. What has predominately been a major movement secluded to Western countries, Asian nations have recently developed a taste for vegan offerings, and cruelty-free products are quickly expanding to meet these demands. Both the Beyond Burger and Impossible Burger are now available in Hong Kong. Further, the sale of pork in China – the world’s largest market for this meat – has continued to drop since 2014. Vegan restaurants have also doubled over the last five years in Shanghai. As more options become available in these countries, people are beginning to show interest in the ethical and health benefits of a plant-based diet.
Image Credit: VeganBurg