Green dining a rising hit in metropolis

Fresh salmon bowls, juicy beef burgers or foamy latte coffee are common lunch choices for office workers in downtown Shanghai.

How about pampering taste buds and protecting the environment at the same time?

Now China Xintiandi, a high-end commercial property developer, is offering people the chance to "stay green" as they eat, shop and relax.

The company is encouraging all catering tenants across its various properties to roll out "green menus" which feature the use of veggies, beans and other plant-based ingredients to replace meat.

"We aim to promote more sustainable lifestyles and dining habits, and help bolster China's goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060," Clarence Lee, commercial director of China Xintiandi, said at the opening ceremony of Xintiandi Restaurant Week earlier this month.

To be more specific, China Xintiandi solicited restaurants and food halls to sign a Green Pledge, under which they offer plant-based dishes on top of their regular recipes. Apart from Shanghai, its commercial complexes in cities like Wuhan, Foshan, Chongqing and Nanjing are also on course to adopt such an initiative.

Over 300 restaurants in Shanghai have agreed to be part of the campaign, the company said, including the likes of Starbucks, which has already included vegetarian menus, and upscale restaurants featuring several veggie dishes.

"For restaurants, we are always seeking innovation, and sustainability is clearly the road ahead," said Irwin Wang, executive director of SENSE 8 Cantonese Cuisine, which also embraced the green pledge. "Low carbon and green moves provide us the opportunity to create new dishes and keep abreast of the tides and customer preferences."

Duli, a restaurant brand offering purely vegetarian recipes, has introduced nine set menus at the Foodie Social food court in Xintiandi to attract white collar workers and the younger generation of customers, who aspire after novel experiences.

"We feature fusion cuisines to shred the stereotype that veggie diets are dull and insipid," said Amber Lin, head of the Duli store at Xintiandi.

Research firm Euromonitor said the market size of plant-based meats in the Asia-Pacific region was $163 million last year, of which China accounts for $116 million, more than 70 percent of the total.

"Chinese consumers have expressed a strong desire to try products that they perceive to be innovative or deliver added values not previously available to them, which could give hybrid products a competitive edge over existing mock meats," said Ryan Huling, a researcher at GFI Consultancy, which specializes in the alternative protein industry in China.

Going plant-based for a year can help prevent the emission of 1.5 tons of carbon, and is equal to the same amount of carbon dioxide absorbed by 66 trees per year, said Green Monday, a social enterprise advocating sustainable diets that combat climate change, food insecurity and public health crisis.

"Carbon emission by animal husbandry is among the highest of various industries, with the carbon footprint of red meat 10 times that of veggies," said Janet Mi, general manager for people, operations & community at Green Monday. "Adding plant-based dishes to your dining regimen serves to reduce the carbon footprint by each and every individual".

Lee from Xintiandi said the "Green Pledge" marks the inaugural step for Xintiandi to construct a "sustainable community" that also includes two other pillars－sustainable packing and sustainable store operations.

"China is leading the world in terms of sustainability pledges, and sustainability is a key element in leading a beautiful life and fostering common prosperity," Lee said.