As global consumers increasingly focus on nutrition, health and wellbeing with a back-to-basics approach of consuming minimally processed food, this Veganuary – Emirates confirms new concepts are in development to celebrate real, whole, and farm-to-fork plant foods, across all seat classes.
The current development project sees a team of chefs create dishes that feel authentic, vibrant and rooted in culinary tradition, without replacing typical proteins with engineered plant-based meats and substitutes. The new dishes are set to be onboard for customers in 2027.
Emirates Vice President of Food & Beverage Design, Doxis Bekris, confirms the philosophy;
“Our focus now is on legumes, grains, nuts, seeds, and seasonal vegetables as the heroes of the plate. These ingredients offer natural depth of flavour, texture, and nutrition without relying on ultra-processed alternatives. Instead of replicating meat, we want to draw from cuisines that have always been plant-forward like Mediterranean mezze, Levantine grain salads, Asian noodle bowls, and African stews. In our view this approach feels genuine and culturally rich.
“Although there are many commendable lab-based alternatives available, real food aligns with our sustainability goals and guest 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. 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.“
Emirates serves half a million vegan meals served each year
Emirates now has 488 vegan recipes in rotation across 140 destinations, representing a 60% increase in total recipes from 2024 and showing dedication to vegan customers.
Emirates currently serves half a million vegan meals each year. Vegan meal consumption grows in line with passenger volume increases, and last year – the top destinations with customers ordering vegan meals were London in first place, followed by Sydney, Bangkok, Melbourne, Frankfurt, Manchester, Mumbai, Bali and Singapore. Emirates attributes some of the demand to non-vegan customers opt for vegan cuisine when flying, as a lighter option often considered easier to digest.
Vegan options are available to order and pre-order onboard, as well as in Emirates Lounges. Customers can request vegan meals on all Emirates flights and across all classes of travel up to 24 hours before departure. However, on high-demand routes, plant-based meals are also provided as part of the main menu options.
