With interest in plant-based eating heightening in the Philippines, a wave of hospitality groups has committed to increasing meat-free options.
In the Philippines, the hotel industry is increasingly aligning its food policies with the public’s wishes.
Over the last few months, a host of hospitality operators have pledged to increase the share of plant-based food on their menus. It’s a direct response to the four in five Filipinos who say they’re more likely to eat at restaurants and hotels that set such policy goals.
The shift was led by Ascott Limited, which in May became the first company to introduce a plant-based target in the Philippines. It worked with sustainability NGO Lever Foundation to commit to making 20% of its menu plant-based by this year, rising to 30% in 2027, across its 17 properties in the country.
Since then, at least four other companies have followed with their own ‘protein split’ commitments to increase the uptake of plant-based foods and lower their food-based climate impact.
From hotels to casinos, Philippines puts plants on the menu
A month after Ascott’s announcement, IHG Hotels & Resorts and Eco Hotels Philippines went one better, committing to 30% plant-based menus by this year itself.
The initiative includes the restaurants, room service and banquet menus at IHG’s six Philippine properties, including Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria, Holiday Inn & Suites Makati, and Holiday Inn Cebu City. “It reflects our determination to reduce our environmental footprint while meeting the evolving preferences of today’s conscious travellers,” said Patria Puyat, cluster general manager at Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria.
Eco Hotels, meanwhile, was the first homegrown hospitality group to make such a pledge, building on its existing sustainability framework (including green design and supply chains). “By committing to more sustainable food choices, we’re not only meeting the growing demand for healthier and eco-friendly options, but also reinforcing our long-standing dedication to responsible tourism,” said president and CEO Alessandra Atienza.
And last week, two more companies joined this list. Winford Resort & Casino Manila became the first gaming complex in the country to commit to a plant-based target, transforming 30% of the menu by early 2026. It aligns with its wider goal to reduce emissions, water use, and food waste, and provide healthier dining options.
Finally, Okada Manila is the first integrated resort in the Philippines to make such a commitment, aiming for 30% plant-based options by 2028. The move is set to impact 20,000 daily guests and 10,000 employees across its 30-hectare property.
Marielle Lagulay, sustainability programme manager at the Lever Foundation, noted that the leadership from such an iconic property provided real inspiration for the industry.
Industry responds to Filipinos’ appetite for plant-based food
The food system is at risk of collapse as things stand. Producing a kg of meat is linked with 50 times higher emissions and water use than vegetables. And even with its outsized land use, livestock agriculture only provides 37% of the world’s protein and 18% of its calories.
Initiatives that make more plant-based options available and accessible make it easier for consumers to adopt meat-free eating. It is one of the most effective ways for foodservice operators to promote dietary shifts, according to the World Resources Institute.
Meanwhile, in the Philippines, 24% of consumers were looking to reduce their meat intake in 2024. And this year, one poll found that 83% of Filipinos are looking to increase their consumption of plant-based food, with 91% aware that it is healthier and more sustainable than conventional meat.
In fact, 93% agree that hotels, restaurants and retailers have a responsibility to manage the sustainability and health of their food supply chains, and 85% believe they should sell more plant-based food to support their planetary and public health goals.
The announcements in the last few months mirror a shift in China’s hotel sector too, where 11 companies (including IHG) have committed to making a significant portion of their menus plant-based. Accor Group and Langham Hospitality have both pledged to make half their menus meat-free by 2030.
In fact, Accor Group has made the 50% by 2030 pledge for all its hotels globally, as part of its Good Food Feels Great policy. These include Novotel, Raffles, Pullman, Sofitel, Fairmont, Ibis, and more.
Additionally, over 175 businesses have committed to improving their sourcing policies in light of sustainability and animal welfare since 2022 in Asia.
And in the Philippines, 7-Eleven has rolled out plant-based meat and fish products in collaboration with Green Rebel Foods in more than 2,000 stores. This month, Pasig-based Century Pacific Food acquired the assets of legacy vegan meat company Atlantic Natural Foods, including the Loma Linda and Tuno brands, from bankruptcy, making the Philippines’s Seventh-day Adventists the primary target market for the shelf-stable products.
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