Starbucks Breakfast Menu to Feature Sous Vide Egg Bites

For many, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. To start the morning off right, participating Starbucks® stores in the U.S. will offer Sous Vide Egg Bites, perfectly cooked eggs with wholesome ingredients, starting Tuesday, January 10.

“People are more conscious of what they are eating,” said Eveline Chao-Rivera, Starbucks brand manager. “Many are skipping out on bread and focusing on nutritious protein to fuel their increasingly busy days.”

Starbucks food team began the development process for this new breakfast item two years ago and took cues from current trends. Customer comments on My Starbucks Idea and feedback from Starbucks baristas also provided guidance for the team.

“Time and time again, we learned that customers were ordering our breakfast sandwiches without the bread or requesting more vegetarian options,” said Chao-Rivera. “We knew that we had a very specific need to satisfy.”

What is Sous Vide?

After exploring different concepts and iterations for the new food item, Chao-Rivera and team learned about Cuisine Solutions, a company with expertise in sous-vide cooking.

Sous-vide – which means ‘under vacuum’ in French – is a culinary technique where vacuum-sealed food is immersed in water and cooked at a very precise and consistent temperature. This cooking method is preferred because it doesn’t require extra fats and oils.

“The Sous-Vide technique is ideal for cooking as it uses water, which is the best transmitter of heat, while also maintaining the integrity of the product being cooked,” said Chef Bruno Bertin from Cuisine Solutions. “We have a special passion regarding sous-vide cooked eggs as eggs are a very versatile, yet delicate food product, which require the precision the sous-vide technique provides.”

“Sous-vide cooking offers an unbelievable texture to food unlike anything else,” Chao-Rivera said. “It makes eggs velvety and creamy – almost like you’re eating something indulgent, but you’re not.”

Through a collaboration over several months, Starbucks and Cuisine Solutions created Sous Vide Egg Bites in two flavors. Both are wheat-free and an excellent source of protein:

Bacon and Gruyere

Velvety cage-free eggs with aged Gruyere and Monterey Jack cheese are topped with a layer of Applewood smoked bacon. Two Bacon and Gruyere bites have 310 calories per serving and 19 grams of protein.

Egg White and Roasted Red Pepper

Cage-free egg whites with Monterey Jack and creamy cottage cheese, accentuated by spinach and fire-roasted red pepper. Two Egg White and Roasted Red Pepper bites have 170 calories per serving and 13 grams of protein.

“Bacon and Gruyere is more of a classic flavor, while the egg white version is a vegetarian option with a lot of flavor from the roasted red peppers,” said Chao-Rivera. “Our egg bites are great because they are delicious, satiating and fit right in your hand for taking on the go.”

“The experience working with Starbucks was amazing because we both share the same high standards for food,” said Bertin. “I am proud and excited for everyone to know the difference between a traditionally cooked egg and a sous-vide cooked egg. With Sous Vide Egg Bites, customers will find a perfect match for their morning coffee.”