Emirates is revising its approach to vegan cuisine by emphasizing whole plant foods over engineered meat alternatives, responding to consumer demand for minimally processed options.
The airline is developing new vegan menu concepts that prioritize legumes, grains, nuts, seeds and seasonal vegetables rather than plant-based meat substitutes. The revised offerings are scheduled for introduction across Emirates’ network in 2027.
“Our focus now is on legumes, grains, nuts, seeds, and seasonal vegetables as the heroes of the plate,” said Doxis Bekris, vice president of food and beverage design at Emirates. “These ingredients offer natural depth of flavour, texture, and nutrition without relying on ultra-processed alternatives.”
The menu development draws from cuisines with plant-forward culinary traditions, including Mediterranean mezze, Levantine grain salads, Asian noodle bowls and African stews. Rather than replicating meat through processing, the approach emphasizes authentic preparations of plant ingredients.
“Instead of replicating meat, we want to draw from cuisines that have always been plant-forward,” Bekris said. “In our view this approach feels genuine and culturally rich.”
Half a million vegan meals served annually
Emirates currently serves 500,000 vegan meals each year across its network of 140 destinations. The airline now offers 488 vegan recipes in rotation, representing a 60% increase from 2024.
Top destinations for vegan meal orders include London, Sydney, Bangkok, Melbourne, Frankfurt, Manchester, Mumbai, Bali and Singapore. Emirates noted that some non-vegan customers select vegan options when flying, viewing them as lighter and easier to digest.
Vegan meals are available for pre-order up to 24 hours before departure on all Emirates flights and across all cabin classes. On high-demand routes, plant-based meals are also included as standard menu options.
The airline attributes the menu shift to alignment with sustainability goals and passenger expectations for health-conscious choices. “It’s about transparency for our customers who want to know what they’re eating, as well as have confidence that it’s good for them and the planet,” Bekris said.
Fresh produce from vertical farming partnership
Emirates sources fresh produce from Bustanica, a hydroponic vertical farm operated as a joint venture with Emirates Flight Catering. The facility provides pesticide and chemical-free leafy greens including lettuce, arugula, mixed salad greens and spinach directly to the airline’s catering operations.
Current vegan offerings vary by cabin class. Economy class options include pumpkin frittata with sautéed mushrooms and spinach cannelloni with tomato basil sauce. Premium Economy features dishes such as kimchi fried rice with roasted pumpkin and oyster mushrooms.
Business class vegan selections include braised mushrooms in five spice soy sauce with jasmine rice, while First class serves elevated options such as pumpkin and barley risotto with rocket, caramelized walnuts and vegan cheese, and quinoa salad with grilled vegetables.
In Emirates’ seven lounges at Dubai International Airport, vegan options include Baharat and turmeric spiced kofta in coconut gravy at buffet stations and warm amaranth porridge in the First Class Lounge. The Emirates Green Burger, featuring soya and flax seed with signature sauce and pickled cucumbers, is the most requested vegan dish in the lounges.
The menu evolution reflects broader consumer trends toward whole food plant-based diets emphasizing minimally processed ingredients. This contrasts with earlier plant-based menu strategies in food service that centered on replicating familiar meat-based dishes through processed alternatives.
“We want to shift from substitutes to a celebration of plants, where it’s not about what’s missing — but instead what is gained in authenticity, flavour, and creativity,” Bekris said.
The airline’s revised vegan strategy maintains availability across all cabin classes while redirecting culinary development toward preparations that highlight plant ingredients without processing them into meat analogues. Emirates offers complementary vegan milk options alongside the meal selections.
