Why Emirates Is Ditching Fake Meat...and Betting on Real Plants Instead

For the past decade, plant-based eating has been dominated by imitation...burgers engineered to “bleed”, proteins designed in labs, and ingredient lists that read more like chemistry than cuisine. But as luxury travellers become more informed about nutrition, gut health and sustainability, that era is quietly losing its appeal.

Now, Emirates is making a decisive pivot.

Rather than doubling down on meat substitutes, the airline is stepping away from ultra-processed vegan alternatives altogether, and returning to real, recognisable plant foods. Think grains, legumes, seasonal vegetables, nuts and seeds, prepared with culinary integrity rather than technological trickery.

Set to launch onboard in 2027, Emirates’ new vegan concepts reflect a broader shift in how affluent consumers now define wellness: less engineered, more honest; less about replacement, more about quality.

When “Plant-Based” No Longer Means Healthy

The move comes as global consumers increasingly question whether highly processed vegan foods truly align with health or sustainability goals. For many travellers, particularly those flying premium cabins, eating well is no longer about labels, but about provenance, simplicity and transparency.

Emirates’ Vice President of Food & Beverage Design, Doxis Bekris, confirms that the airline’s culinary philosophy has evolved accordingly.

“Our focus now is on legumes, grains, nuts, seeds, and seasonal vegetables as the heroes of the plate,” he explains. “These ingredients offer natural depth of flavour, texture, and nutrition without relying on ultra-processed alternatives.”

Instead of attempting to recreate meat, Emirates’ chefs are drawing inspiration from cuisines that have always been plant-forward, from Mediterranean mezze and Levantine grain salads to Asian noodle bowls and African stews. The result is food that feels culturally rooted, nutritionally sound and unmistakably real.

A Luxury Wellness Shift at 40,000 Feet

This isn’t a niche vegan play. Emirates serves around half a million vegan meals every year, with demand driven not only by vegans, but by health-conscious flyers opting for lighter, easier-to-digest meals while travelling.

Routes such as London, Sydney, Bangkok, Melbourne and Frankfurt consistently top the list for vegan meal orders, signalling that plant-forward dining is now firmly embedded in premium travel habits.

By moving away from engineered substitutes, Emirates is aligning vegan cuisine with modern luxury values: clarity over cleverness, craftsmanship over novelty, and trust over trends.

In other words, this isn’t about what’s missing from the plate — it’s about what’s been added back in.