Starbucks in Singapore has updated its vegan menu. The coffeehouse chain now offers vegan mooncakes.
Mooncakes, which originated in China, typically feature filling made from red beans or lotus seed paste and a crust including lard or egg yolk.
Starbucks is making the treat with a vegan recipe, however. Singapore locations of the chain offer a mooncake collection and social media users have noticed that all of the snowskin varieties are free from animal products.
The mooncakes aren’t a new addition to Starbucks’ menu; the chain has offered them for years in its Hong Kong locations.
Vegan Food at Starbucks
The largest coffeehouse chain in the world hasn’t ignored the public’s growing interest in plant-based food.
South Korean Starbucks cafes now offer vegan Banana Pecan Pound Cake. Last year, locations in the East Asian country also launched layered vegan cake and dairy-free grilled onion focaccia bread.
In the UK, Starbucks offers dairy-free mac ‘n’ cheese, a vegan tofu breakfast burrito, and vegan chocolate mini cakes. Earlier this year, British Starbucks locations also introduced chocolate-topped Vegan Pistachio Butter Bars and Vegan Almond Butter Bars.
Veganism in Singapore
The vegan movement is gaining traction in Singapore. It was named the 2nd most vegan-friendly Asian city by PETA Asia and the 6th most vegan-friendly city in the world by HappyCow.
Late last year “vegan activities” increased by 140 percent in Singapore.
When Beyond Meat’s plant-based beef burger launched at the Grand Hyatt Singapore hotel, it sold 1,000 burgers in the first day. Eight weeks later, the vegan patty was outselling animal-based beef at a rate of three to one.
The hotel was the first South East Asian establishment to offer the Beyond Burger. Months later, it also became the first location in South East Asia to serve the JUST Egg, a plant-based egg mix made from mung beans.
Josh Tetrick, the co-founder and CEO of JUST, said at the time that the company was proud to bring the vegan egg to the city. He commented, “Singapore is one of the most innovative and transformative places on the planet and is known worldwide as Asia’s greenest city.”
