Emirates Shift Focus for Vegan Cuisine to Meet Customers’ Desire for Minimally Processed Food

This ‘Veganuary’ Emirates has confirmed the development of new concepts to celebrate real, whole, and farm-to-fork plant foods, as part of their vegan cuisine offer. 

Emirates to Offer New Farm-to-Fork Vegan Cuisine From 2027 - Courtesy Emirates

On Monday (January 19, 2026), Emirates announced that as consumers increasingly focus on nutrition, health and wellbeing, while consuming minimally processed food this Veganuary, the carrier confirms new concepts are in development to celebrate real, whole, and farm-to-fork plant foods.  The current project sees a team of chefs creating dishes that feel authentic, vibrant and are 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.

In Monday’s announcement, Emirates’ VP – Food and Beverage Design, Doxis Bekris, said,

“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 approximately half a million vegan meals annually, and currently has 488 vegan recipes in rotation across 140 destinations, representing a 60 percent increase in total recipes from 2024, and showing dedication to vegan customers.  Vegan meal consumption grows in line with passenger volume increases.  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 is Developing New Farm-to-Fork Vegan Cuisine Which Will Be Available From 2027 - Courtesy Emirates

Vegan meal options are available for pre-order and to 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.  Supporting the farm to fork philosophy, Emirates incorporates fresh produce from Bustanica, the world’s largest hydroponic vertical farm.  The farm is a joint venture with Emirates Flight Catering that delivers pesticide and chemical-free leafy greens like lettuce, arugula, mixed salad greens, and spinach, directly to Emirates’ catering facilities.  

Source: Emirates