Starbucks to debut Beyond Meat products in China

Starbucks will debut Beyond Meat products on its menu in China on Wednesday.

The global coffee chain created three dishes made with Beyond’s beef alternative and two made with a pork alternative from Hong Kong-based Omnipork as part of a far-reaching goal to become “resource positive.” Starbucks will also offer Oatly’s oat milk as a non-dairy substitute for Chinese consumers.

Realistic meatless meats from companies such as Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods, coupled with studies that have shown the negative environmental impacts of meat consumption, have led many consumers to reduce their meat intake and eat more plant-based foods instead.

Starbucks has reopened more than 95{3c4481f38fc19dde56b7b1f4329b509c88239ba5565146922180ec5012de023f} of its cafes in China after temporarily shuttering them to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

The partnership with Starbucks marks Beyond’s entry into the Chinese market. The maker of plant-based meats plans to expand its manufacturing to Asia by the end of 2020, despite the pandemic, as part of its strategy to sell its meatless meats to Chinese consumers.

Beyond has already partnered with Starbucks to bring a plant-based sandwich to Canadian locations.

Starbucks’ stock, which has a market value of $88.4 billion, has fallen 14{3c4481f38fc19dde56b7b1f4329b509c88239ba5565146922180ec5012de023f} so far in 2020. Shares of Beyond, valued at $4.91 billion, are up 5{3c4481f38fc19dde56b7b1f4329b509c88239ba5565146922180ec5012de023f} in the same period.