A 150-plus-year-old French patisserie chain is set to make a major change. Ladurée has announced that it plans to go fully vegan at its two-year-old Beverly Hills, California shop, with other locations to follow.
Later this summer, Ladurée will transform the Beverly Hills menu with ingredients such as almond buttermilk and coconut oil. Then, in September, it will add vegan macarons and other plant-focused items to the menu at its Paris locations before expanding them to nearly 80 locations worldwide.
In addition to the vegan macarons, other new items include a Vol-au-Vent puff pastry with mushrooms and an almond velouté, and an omelet with tomato confit and a gruyère made from cashews
The change will upend the traditions of a brand that has been around since the 1800’s. “When I tell them in Paris we’ll have the vegan macaron and the vegan croissant, they look at me like ‘OK, what is she saying?’” says Ladurée co-president Elisabeth Holder. “It’s a revolution.”
The decision to add vegan menu items is part of Ladurée’s effort to evolve the brand. “We are not aiming to deviate from the ethos that has made Ladurée a global success,” says vegan chef Matthew Kenney, who created the new menu. “Instead, our focus will be on the reinterpretation of the essence of Ladurée while employing plants toward this objective.”