ByHannah Beach•
Just as an outside company makes Starbucks' cake pops, another company is responsible for the production of Starbucks' egg bites. The world-famous coffee chain first got the idea in 2015, when customers started routinely ordering breakfast sandwiches without the bread. Hoping to give these customers alternative breakfast options, Starbucks partnered with Cuisine Solutions, and the duo began selling sous vide egg bites in January 2017.
Of course, Starbucks couldn't have picked a better company to team up with, considering Cuisine Solutions essentially pioneered the art of sous vide. The company's chief scientist, Dr. Bruno Goussault, was instrumental in creating the sous vide method in 1971and helped establish Cuisine Solutions in 1987. Though founded in France, Cuisine Solutions has since moved its headquarters to Virginia, with additional production plants in Texas and Thailand. Today, its Sterling, Virginia, plant is responsible for the production of the beloved Starbucks egg bitesas well as a sous vide-focused high school lunch program. Delicious and inspiring, right?
What goes into Cuisine Solutions' sous vide method?
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Considering Cuisine Solutions' French origins, it should come as little surprise that sous vide was also developed in France. "Sous vide" means "under vacuum."In the context of cooking, it involves vacuum-sealing food. Once the food is sealed, you can place it in a warm water bath to slowly and precisely raise its temperature -– no need to worry about overcooking.
Where Starbucks' egg bites are concerned, sous vide allows the food to be cooked without any extra oils or fats, making the eggs an excellent choice for health-conscious customers. Because sous vide is also incredibly gentle, the resulting egg is able to retain a delicate and creamy textureeven after being frozen and reheated. As a bonus, Cuisine Solutions forgoes the use of preservatives in favor of letting the vacuum-sealed packaging work its magic.
More importantly for companies like Starbucks, sous vide provides consistent results, allowing suppliers to cook food en masse without sacrificing quality. Clearly, of all the different ways to cook eggs, sous vide reigns supreme in this arena. Now, how about we sous vide some melt-in-your-mouth bacon to go with those egg bites?
Starbucks offers three sous-vide egg bite options
When Starbucks and Cuisine Solutions entered a partnership in 2017, the chain offered two different types of egg bites. The first type brings together sous vide eggs, applewood bacon, and aged gruyere cheese, while the second includes sous vide egg whites, cheese, spinach, and roasted red peppers. The duo later added a third type, which is a tasty mix of sous vide eggs, cheese, kale, and portabello mushrooms.
Of course, Starbucks' egg bites are high in protein, ranging from 12 grams to 19 grams, depending on the type. Each order comes with two velvety egg bites and costs around $5 when you order in-store. That being said, Starbucks and Cuisine Solutions have also made the egg bites available in bulk, selling in 10-packs for about $8 at Costco. Simply pop a couple of egg bites in your air fryer to reheat them, and you're good to go! If you're feeling creative, however, you can also customize your own sous recipes with different ingredients and cook egg bites at home.
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