Classic Swedish meatballs with lingonberry jam tends to be the first thing that comes to mind when people think about eating at Ikea. However, that is slowly changing as the company is taking new initiatives in its push for sustainability. Ikea Japan has recently announced the addition of seven plant-based dishes in its menu nationwide, including a vegan version of katsu curry for just ¥499.
Typically, the katsu (cutlet) element in a katsu curry is made with pork or chicken that’s breaded and deep-fried; Ikea’s version will be made with soy instead. The curry’s roux will also be derived from plants and will replace the company’s previous recipe for Japanese-style curry. The other new vegan dishes in the cafe menu include stuffed vegan cabbage rolls (¥299), veggie cheese dogs (¥150) and plant-based chocolate mousse (¥299).
This won’t be the first time Ikea Japan has introduced a plant-based menu in its stores. When Ikea opened its first city-centre store in Harajuku, the cafe and konbini offer meat-free items like plant-based strawberry soft serve and vegan instant ramen. Unfortunately, the Harajuku store won’t serve the new katsu curry as its menu is dominated by flatbread wraps.
Think you’ll have to miss out on Ikea’s classic dishes if you’re avoiding food with animal-derived products? Don’t worry, the company has also created a plant-based version of its famous meatballs using pea-derived proteins, oats, potatoes and onions. Expect to see the vegan Swedish meatballs in Ikea Japan sometime in October.
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