BeanStalk seeks to elevate vegetarian inflight meals

It’s not uncommon for airline passengers to complain about the vegetarian meals served on board. Plates consisting solely of roasted vegetables seem to be a mainstay. So too are starchy and sugary bites, which have low nutritional value and compare unfavorably to meat-based alternatives that can seem positively decadent in contrast.

Madrid-based BeanStalk aims to change the game with its new line up of plant-based airline meals. Ranging from meat-free burgers to pastrami sandwich slices, these products are high in protein and low in sugar — and, somewhat crucially for airlines that want to cater to as many groups as possible, the meals are also vegan.

For David Guarch, who serves as chief commercial and operations manager at BeanStalk, airlines bring more fairness to the passenger experience by offering more inspiring plant-based alternatives on board.

As a vegetarian or vegan, Guarch told RGN at the World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo (WTCE) in Hamburg, “the only option you have is vegetables with rice. Where is the protein, and why is my neighbour, who is paying the same price as me, being offered chicken or fish?” With products like BeanStalk, it is possible to not only offer multiple meal choices if the airline so wishes but at least ensure a balanced meal with all the food groups represented.”

RGN did a taste test of BeanStalk’s protein-rich vegetarian options at WTCE, and was impressed. The fish finger and chicken nugget alternatives had excellent texture and mouthfeel, whilst the no-meatballs genuinely made your author do a double check to ensure they were indeed vegetarian. These products, which can be prepared quickly and easily within recipes or stand alone, are ideally suited for airline catering.

BeanStalk also presented some more elevated dishes, including pulled pork-style tacos prepared by the firm’s in-situ chef at WTCE. It would be welcome to see this meal served in airport lounges as an alternative to the usual curry or pasta offered to non-meat eaters. 

Additionally, BeanStalk offers cured meat-style snacks in individual packets, which in look, feel and taste are very similar to long-shelf-life salami sticks as seen in supermarkets or service stations. Able to be stored at ambient temperatures for up to 12 months, these flavorful snacks are more nutritious than chips or sweet treats and more exciting than peanuts. 

What’s more, BeanStalk’s snacks also attract so-called flexitarians — individuals who primarily follow a plant-based diet but occasionally eat meat, or indeed folks who simply want to reduce their meat intake for health or environmental reasons. 

Guarch noted that flexitarians represent a growing market generally. “There are a lot of customers who are not vegans, who are demanding these products. They like meat, but they don’t want to eat it every day.” 

Products aimed specifically at enticing meat lovers to make alternative choices, and therefore are made to resemble meat, can be off-putting to some vegans and vegetarians, perhaps borne out of their desire to avoid any associations with meat products altogether.

However, as someone who doesn’t like the taste of meat, I was very surprised at how much I enjoyed the plant-based, meat-mimicking sticks. They are chewy but not dry, and their bold flavors seemed particularly well suited for high altitudes.

BeanStalk has a presence across the globe through subsidiaries in Australia, Europe and the USA, and the snack product is already flying on Japanese airlines. 

It should be noted that BeanStalk is not the only player looking to take inflight vegetarian meals up a notch. Last year, LSG SkyChefs partnered with the Vegetarian Butcher to offer plant-based meals for vegetarian, vegan and flexitarian passengers.

Clearly, there is rising interest in offering such products in the air.

Related Articles:

• Emirates is the latest airline to focus on vegan cuisine
• Airlines go bananas for plant-based meals
• Beyond “beef or cow”: the future of economy airline meals
• Singapore Airlines’ vertical farm-to-plane program shows promise

All images credited to Fintan Horan-Stear

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