South Korean plant-based meat alternative company UNLIMEAT recently announced that it will begin selling its pulled pork wrap at Starbucks in Hong Kong.
According to a press release, the menu item is 100% plant-based and uses the brand's pulled pork substitute, carrots, cabbage, and lettuce. The collaboration is part of the coffee giant's blueprint to emphasize "the importance of both the global environment and animal welfare."
"We have been dreaming of launching something at Starbucks ever since we launched our first products in Hong Kong. Our pulled pork has been our most popular product in the United States, so we're so excited to introduce the product to Hong Kong people through Starbucks," UNLIMEAT CEO Keumchae Min said.
"It is especially meaningful for us that we were able to launch a menu item that contained the name of our product."
The brand operates Asia's largest plant-based meat exclusive factory to produce vegan options for food such as kimbap, beef jerky, and tuna. It has partnered with 7-Eleven and Ikea in Hong Kong and 1,300 retail stores in the U.S., including Albertsons.
UNLIMEAT reduces waste by using byproducts that are usually tossed during the food-making process, like rice bran and defatted soybean powder, and repurposing "ugly agricultural products" that are typically discarded because of their undesirable features.
Its unique approach helps tackle two issues that contribute to Earth's overheating.
According to the World Food Programme, about 1.3 billion tons of food go to waste yearly, generating up to 10% of global planet-warming gas emissions. The meat sector accounts for 14% to 20% of global greenhouse gas pollution through feed production, land use, and transportation. Animal agriculture also contributes to deforestation and water and soil pollution.
Luckily, like-minded organizations and government agencies have begun developing strategies to reshape the industry. In June, the White House announced its plan to fund projects that will extend the shelf life of food, and a Chinese gas company plans to convert excess food into green methanol for shipping.
Meanwhile, some plant-based meat companies are incorporating animal byproducts like fat to create a sustainable solution that tastes more like the real deal.
UNLIMEAT may face similar challenges in convincing people to choose vegan alternatives, but Min believes its expansive portfolio of tasty "gastronomic experiences" will help people overcome any reservations.
"We want to accelerate the transition to plant-based eating by making it convenient and delicious for consumers. That is why we're relentlessly finding ways to expand our offerings, from Korean BBQ to pulled pork, pepperoni, and dumplings to katsu, using diverse plant ingredients, not just soy and pea protein," she told vegconomist last year.
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