Starbucks Portugal has increased its vegan food options, adding vegan cakes and plant-based sandwiches to its menu, Distribuição Hoje reports.
Mini vegan chocolate cakes with raspberry filling, decorated with dried fruit, are now on offer. The sweet treats are available in other countries, like in the UK, but are a first for Portuguese locations of the largest coffee house chain in the world.
The new plant-based sandwiches feature ciabatta bread with seasoned pumpkin, sweet cranberries, fresh vegetables, and dairy-free chipotle sauce.
The new options join Starbucks Portugal’s other plant-based choices, including its kombucha drinks, fruit and vegetable smoothies, and fruit salads. The chain also offers dairy-free almond, soy, and oat milk.
Starbucks Vegan Options
Starbucks is launching more vegan products to meet the rising demand for animal-free food. “The opportunity for plant-based foods is huge,” Starbucks founder Howard Schultz said at Milan’s Seeds and Chips conference last year.
In the UK, a vegan all-day tofu breakfast burrito and dairy-free mac ‘n’ cheese are now available at the coffee chain, and diners can also enjoy a vegan wrap with falafel and slaw.
Vegan cookies, plant-based oatmeal pots, dairy-free protein cold brews, and vegan cupcakes are up for grabs in U.S. locations.
In the Philippines, Starbucks stocks “sinless” vegan chocolate cake, which features avocado, and a double-decker peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Vegan Movement in Portugal
Portugal is leaning toward plant-based, cruelty-free living more than ever. In 2017, it was reported that the number of vegetarians in the country had risen by 400 percent in the past decade; another 60,000 people were said to be following an all-vegan diet.
A law in Portugal makes it mandatory for schools, canteens, hospitals, prisons, and all other public buildings to serve plant-based food. The law was inspired by a 15,000-strong signatory petition launched by the Portugal Vegetarian Society. A spokesperson for the organization, Nuno Alvim, said that the law will “promote diversity of eating habits and encourage more people to choose the veggie option as it becomes more widely available.”
Alvim added, “This is, of course, predicted to have a significant impact on the population’s health foremost, but also on animals and the environment in the long run.”
Image Credit: Starbucks
