Inside Impossible Foods’ mission to mass-produce the fake burger of the future
Central to Impossible Foods’ mission from its very beginning is completely replacing animals from the food system by 2035, according to CEO Pat Brown.
BOB WOODS: ‘In 2009, Pat Brown blended soy protein, potato protein, coconut oil, sunflower oil and blood-like “heme” to create the Impossible Burger, which looks, feels, smells, cooks and — according to many hardcore meat lovers — tastes like a cow-based patty. Two years later he launched his company, steadfastly courting carnivores from the get-go. And he’s winning them over.
Last month, after a brief but spectacular test in 59 St. Louis stores, Burger King announced a nationwide rollout of the Impossible Whopper in its nearly 7,300 locations by the end of 2019. That headline news overshadowed Impossible’s two-year strategic marketing campaign to introduce America to its better-for-you burger by way of more than 7,000 establishments across the country — from high-end restaurants to college cafeterias — as well White Castle, Red Robin and other chains.
Impossible Foods touts data revealing that the majority of those who try its product believe it’s from an animal. More than 1,500 consumers have taken sensory tests in which they can’t tell the difference between a traditional meat burger and the Impossible Burger, and Impossible Foods’ flavor scientists conduct at least 100 internal taste tests per week…
Central to Impossible Foods’ mission from its very beginning is completely replacing animals from the food system by 2035, according to Brown. “Unlike the cow, our platform enables continuous improvement in every way that matters — flavor, nutrition, sustainability, shelf life — and we are exploiting that advantage to the max.” So watch for an Impossible 3.0 and 4.0, CEO Brown said. “We are highly likely over the next few years to be producing pork, chicken and fish products”…
More proof of the plant-based meat concept came on May 2, when Los Angeles-based Beyond Meat stunned Wall Street with a blockbuster IPO. Initially priced at $25 per share, trading opened at $46 and surged 163% by day’s end. Within four days, shares had nearly tripled, valuing the company at $4.4 billion… In 2018, Beyond Meat reported revenue of $87.9 million, up 170% from the previous year’s net sales of $32.6 million… The Impossible Burger is heading offshore, reporting a threefold increase in sales in Asia this year’. SOURCE…
RELATED VIDEO: