Those who are vegetarians have been asking Starbucks for more vegetarian food options. This is a common theme at My Starbucks Idea. Coming soon (I believe on June 29, 2010) Starbucks is introducing two new food items, designed for the vegetarian diet. I bet that even those of us who are not vegetarians are going to enjoy this. The two new food items are the Hummus Plate and the Ratatouille Sandwich. I believe that the Hummus Plate counts as “vegan” too, for the vegans. However since the hummus involves cooked garbanzo beans, I guess this still isn’t the solution for the raw food enthusiasts at Starbucks.
The photo that accompanies this blog post features the Hummus Plate. I don’t have any images for the new Ratatouille Sandwich, but I hear that it will feature roasted zucchini, eggplant, red peppers, spinach, and provolone on focaccia bread. This sounds like a vegetarian item, though I don’t think it is “vegan”.
I’m sure I will try these items just to try them, but it’s not what I gravitate towards when I want food. Nothing quite beats the Perfect Oatmeal – It’s hot, it’s the right size, and quick and easy. I assume it’s vegetarian too, though that’s not why I buy it. When I want real food at Starbucks, usually that means I get the Perfect Oatmeal, or sometimes the Vivanno Smoothie. I assume the smoothie counts as vegetarian too. But I might get these two new items for a change of pace too! If anyone has any more information on them, I’m all ears.
44 Comments
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Socialize
I am certainly not vegetarian or vegan but i do enjoy a good snack of hummas! The Starbucks I frequent don’t have many of the food choices or snack choices due to size so I am hoping this makes it for days I don’t have time to pack lunch.
In fact yesterday a marketing firm delivered hummas to my office (a LOT) for us all to try and consider for us to sell, i snacked on it all day and was quite happy, I almost skipped my lunch completely.
I am not a vegetarian, but anyway, great to hear that Starbucks also heeds their advices and introduces veggie meals.
I am always so jealous when I see all that…we in Germany just have a small meal offer and the only vegetarian offer is a salad.
Are these options just going to be in the stores that already sell sandwiches, salads, etc for lunch/dinner? Or will these be offered in the pastry and breakfast sandwich stores too?
I think that your expectation is right. “on June 29, 2010”.
Starbucks released a lot staff on that day last year. I visited new Starbucks of university Village on that day. Drink, goods, food, many new products were released.
I think Starbucks release to stimulate the curiosity of the customer on that day of this year. For example, Starbucks VIA(R)Ready Brew Iced Coffee.
Talking of VIA, Starbucks coffee Japan Ltd releases Starbucks VIA(R)Ready Brew Iced Coffee on July 14. In Japan, “Starbucks VIA(R) Coffee Essence Iced Coffee” we call so. I don’t know why.
By the way, the VIA bear must make a pocket big because VIA Iced Coffee is big size…..
@Camspi
I’m sorry. I was not able to make expression poetic this time.
The smoothies are vegetarian but would not be considered vegan (because of the whey powder ) . The humus looks delish!
Melody thanks for the heads up. Finally, more choices for those of us that are vegetarians. I just hope the ratatouille sandwich does not have cheese on it. My main complaint about vegetarian choices at AB is that they always seem to include egg or cheese. I assume these new choices will be introduced countrywide at all SB stores?
These new snacks look great, though I know we aren’t getting them in Canada. We are getting a red pepper hummus plate though which looks quite good.
I’d love to try that! I’m a vegetarian and I think the only thing I can eat without picking stuff out at Starbucks (besides the pastries) is the Pumpkin Wrap Salad. Although some baristas are nice and take out the meat from the sandwiches for you, I still wish we had more vegetarian menus here!
Pumpkin Wrap Salad at SB? I have never seen that salad. Is it distributed nationwide and what does it have in it besides pumpkin? Also, I really am glad to see more vegetarian choices arriving at SB because you cannot be sure taking off the meat from a sandwich means it is vegetarian. I don’t trust anyone doing that successfully.
Looking forward to trying it! It’s great that Starbucks is starting to realize that for many “on-the-go” types, it’s not just morning coffee – it’s the lunch stop on the way to the next destination! Way to get the scoop, Melody!
they both sound good to me 🙂
i’m ready for something beside the silly flat sandwich things. i really liked the old style sandwiched better. we’ll see how these hold up!
(also, another reminder that my website address is actually http://www.domestechgoddess.com, and the wordpress address won’t actually work…)
These are interesting additions, indeed. I’m with you that the oatmeal is a pretty good choice (especially with the Dark Cherry syrup added). I wonder how much the return on effort is for items like these. Are they being created because there is staff assigned to work on items like this, or do they truly add to the Starbucks Experience?
I think SB is trying to (and hopefully as Melody has said it has been mentioned on MSI) offer more vegetarian options to their customers. Does it add to the SB Experience? That certainly is a hard question to answer, however, I think it is nice that there are options besides pastry. I do find at times that the oatmeal is not great and it is not always the same depending on who makes it, etc.
I’m sure the profit margin on them is quite good. As for adding to the Starbucks experience…I dunno. On one hand, they’re not hard to make (the oatmeal is incredibly simple: you pour the oatmeal into the cup and add hot water to the line). Also, people like them and we aim to please. However, they are extra things we have to know how to do, even if they are easy.
Personally, I’d prefer it if us folks behind the counter only really had to worry about coffees and teas, and all of the food-type stuff was out there on the floor and the only thing we had to do with it was ring it up. While Starbucks as a whole can sell pretty much anything and I won’t care too much, the focus of barista’s knowledge should be coffee and tea.
Nevertheless, the hummus sounds good (I’ve never had ratatouille so I have no idea what that’s like).
I cannot wait. I recently changed my diet to vegetarianism. There isn’t a lot of info about the eggplant sandwich. Normally there’s a picture in the Siren’s Eye (planning workbook), but there isn’t one. Our store received some samples of the hummus plate… but I left without grabbing one. Hope they’re still there when I go back tomorrow!
@Nob You are awesome! LOL!
I cannot wait. I recently changed my diet to vegetarianism. There isn’t a lot of info about the eggplant sandwich. Normally there’s a picture in the Siren’s Eye, but there isn’t one. Our store received some samples of the hummus plate… but I left without grabbing one. Hope there still there when I go back tomorrow!
Not a vegetarian, but I’m looking forward to this. I’m glad they’ll have hummus, that’s something I’ve always liked (as long as it’s smooth & creamy, not watery & chunky!).
purple1, sorry, I meant Pumpkin Salad Wrap! It’s pumpkin paste with lettuce, cucumbers, etc., all wrapped in tortilla or something similar to that. It’s part of the Wellness Selection menu (here). I think they have more variety of salad wraps in the US…do they?
Hi Kaori! The “pumpkin salad wrap” sounds wonderful! We don’t have anything like that here in the US. You’re in Japan? I definitely find it interesting to hear about all the international food offerings at Starbucks!
Melody, I’ve tried 3 of the new plates and they are YUM-O! I’m not a vegan, but I’m not much of a carnivore either. I’m really looking forward to finding these in the markout bin. LOL
@GAStarbucksGirl – What’s the third plate! There is the Hummus Plate, the Ratatouille Sandwich, but what’s the third thing? You’ve got my email address if you need it. It’s encouraging to hear you like it – I think the Ratatouille Sandwich sounds especially good.
Another third vegetarian option!!! Would also love to know about it. Haven’t seen any notices on MSI about its arrival. Melody, know when they are going to announce it? June 29 still the date? The baristas at my local SB knew about two of them but did not say when they would arrive.
The 3 options we got at our store this week as samples were:
1. The garlic hummus one that comes with carrot sticks, grape tomatoes, and a round piece of flat bread. (as you have pictured).
2. Another with a round piece of flat bread, but this one has raisins in it and was more sweet. That also was accompanied by some cubes of cheese and the Justin’s Natural Honey Peanut Butter that we’ve seen before– I believe that might be in the Protein Plate.
3. The third, also included cubes of cheese (sorry I’m not a cheese connoisseur, so I don’t know what kinds of cheeses these are), a package of sesame seed wafers and some almonds & dried cranberries.
At first, I couldn’t think of any non-vegetarian options at Starbucks. Then I started thinking of their breakfast sandwiches, etc. Then it started to make sense to me.
I think there are a lot of things that are vegetarian, and yummy, but for breakfast i am sure some people don’t want lunch items and for lunch some people don’t want breakfast items so it’s exciting that there seem to be so many new snack / meal offerings that many people can enjoy, that rasin pita thing sounds scrumptious @GAStarbucksGirl
@CD and @Enlightened Coffee Sage re:experience i am not sure how much extra work some of the non panini items are, at my local store they’re pre packed and get handed to you. so as long as it is not detracting from anyone’s experience i think it can only add by making the store a safe refuge to be able to get a snack and drink – i know when traveling i go starbucks to starbucks because i trust it and know i can find things i will like eating
My understanding is that the Hummus plate has Chicken on it. Sorry! and the promo materials just say Veggie Panini, not Ratatouille. Maybe that’s a last minute name change?
@SBsmooth – Is the chicken IN the hummus? Seems like a strange thing to do – Many people who will want to buy hummus will be vegetarians. I had several partners tell me that the sandwich I described above was “ratatouille” so I guess that it is a last minute name change. ?? Veggie sounds a lot less exciting.
Oh please tell me there is no chicken in the hummus platter and that the other sandwiches have no cheese or meat in them as well. How can they be considered vegetarian if that is the case? If it is the case, then SB surely has not been listening!
The Hummus Plate sounds exceptionally good. I love seeing Starbucks releasing even more vegetarian options. And I’m pretty certain the Vivannos are vegetarian, but I could be wrong.
@purple1 I hope there isn’t chicken either!
@Melody chicken sounds like an odd addition into hummas – if anything i would think it would end up on the plate, still sad if it is true
@AmazonV – The chicken thing puzzles me! I got the above photo from a partner who assured me that’s what the hummus plate looks like. It will come wrapped in the same kind of packaging as the current cheese, fruit, crackers plate, or you know, that plate with a mini bagel, cheese, and hardboiled egg, and peanut butter. I took the photo to another partner and asked it was accurate and heard, “yep that looks like the hummus plate!” So I don’t know. We won’t know about the chicken until we can hold it in our hands I guess! LOL
@Melody you would think they would have a nice “coming soon” area on the starbucks nutritional area, oh well, we await with baited breath (although i hope my breath doesn’t smell like bait!)
I haven’t seen any signs in the SB about these new offerings nor on MSI. What are they waiting for? You would think they would advertise them?????
@purple1 – Bad news! The hummus comes with chicken! The photo sent to me was some sort of “sample version” sent to store partners but the final version has one more veggie and some chicken breast in the pita!
I wish Starbucks would contact me and tell me when I have missed the boat!
Melody thanks for the info re the hummus platter. Shame on SB for adding chicken!!! I am really annoyed at their food division. Seems like they are just not listening. I sure hope you can find an answer to why they are adding chicken! I suppose they are putting cheese on the ratatouille sandwich!!!!
Today, I looked at the new hummus platter and indeed there is chicken on it. I am so annoyed at SB. Vegetarian choices – where?
@purple1 @Melody well that is just silly and disappointing, why chicken! 🙁
The Greek Yogurt Parfait is actually a very filling Vegetarian food option, although clearly not vegan. There are also bagels available… I am a vegetarian and ate breakfast at Starbucks almost every day for about six months and never went hungry! The warmed wraps are also usually veggie, such as the spinach and egg and the eggs benedict, if you’re into egg wraps.
I saw the new plate at Starbucks today and I was disappointed to see it had chicken. A hummus plate on its own would have mass appeal.
But I wonder if we will still see a vegetarian/vegan hummus plate. I googled “Starbucks hummus” and this was the second result: http://assets.starbucks.com/menu/food/fruit-and-snack-plates/hummus-and-vegetable-snack-plate-cn
Anthony, thanks for the link to the other hummus platter. I certainly have not seen this in my local SB nor have I seen any ads for the new food items. I am still mad that they had to add chicken to the hummus platter and just can’t understand their reasons for it.
The protien plate that Starbucks has presented over the last year with chicken and hummus is a smash it for an ever evolving company kudos to starbucks this is abosolutely the best product you have put out as of yet. The bread first off is the most tastfully elegant of any I have tasted in a prepared application and pairs perfectly with any entree its whole wheat looks handmade artisan and I have told hundreds of my friends about this bread. I hope this bread continues to evole with your fine creations.
Time has past and I still feel that SB has missed the boat regarding offering vegetarian choices. Certainly, the hummus platter is not an option with chicken on it. And the other choices still seem to include cheese. Still hoping for a veggie, egg white noncheese option.
[…] most everyone has tried hummus, it’s widely available in stores and restaurants, and even at Starbucks. It comes in a wide array of varieties, from pizza hummus to edamame hummus. If I was in high […]