Emirates Expands Plant-Forward Vegan Cuisine With Focus on Minimally Processed Ingredients

Emirates is expanding its approach to vegan inflight dining, shifting away from highly processed meat alternatives in favor of whole, plant-forward ingredients as part of a broader focus on health, transparency, and sustainability.

The airline now has 488 vegan recipes in rotation across 140 destinations, representing a 60% increase compared with 2024. New plant-based concepts currently in development are expected to enter service in 2027.

According to Emirates, its culinary teams are prioritizing legumes, grains, nuts, seeds, and seasonal vegetables, drawing inspiration from cuisines that have long emphasized plant-based cooking. These include Mediterranean, Levantine, Asian, and African food traditions, with dishes designed to deliver depth of flavor without relying on engineered substitutes.

The airline serves approximately half a million vegan meals each year, with demand growing in line with passenger volumes. Emirates reports that vegan meals are increasingly selected by non-vegan customers seeking lighter, easier-to-digest options. London remains the top destination for vegan meal orders, followed by Sydney, Bangkok, Melbourne, Frankfurt, Manchester, Mumbai, Bali, and Singapore. Across Africa, demand continues to rise in markets including South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Tunisia, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Egypt, and Tanzania.

Vegan meals are available across all classes of travel and can be pre-ordered up to 24 hours before departure. On high-demand routes, plant-based options are also included as part of the standard onboard menu.

Supporting its farm-to-fork strategy, Emirates sources fresh leafy greens from Bustanica, the world’s largest hydroponic vertical farm, operated as a joint venture with Emirates Flight Catering. The facility supplies pesticide- and chemical-free produce directly to Emirates’ catering operations.

Vegan cuisine is also offered throughout Emirates’ lounges at Dubai International Airport, where plant-based dishes are available across buffet and à la carte service formats.

Emirates says the move reflects evolving customer expectations, as well as the airline’s broader sustainability objectives, reinforcing a shift toward simpler ingredient lists, cultural authenticity, and scalable plant-based catering across its global network.