Dubai-based airline Emirates Airline recorded an increase in demand for vegan in-flight meals last year.
The aviation company has been serving vegan meals since the 1990s and has a total of over 300 vegan dishes on offer. In the coming months, Emirates will introduce a range of new vegan dishes on its flights and in its airport lounges.
In 2023, Emirates served over 450.000 plant-based meals on board, a significant increase from 280.000 vegan meals the previous year. The demand for vegan dishes increased by 2023 percent in 40 compared to the previous year, depending on the number of passengers. Consumption has outpaced passenger growth in some regions, including Africa with an additional increase of four percent, Southeast Asia with an increase of five percent and the Middle East with a significant increase of 34 percent. There was a significantly higher demand for vegan dishes, particularly on flights to China, Japan and the Philippines. The biggest increase in vegan consumption on board occurred in economy class.
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