The classic summer scene of a delicious hamburger grilling in the backyard might be undergoing a transformation. Companies like Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods, along with other innovative startups, are leading a significant initiative in the food industry: creating the perfect blend of peas, coconut oil, potato proteins, and various plant-based ingredients that replicate the qualities people adore about ground beef. If they manage to win over even the most discerning meat lovers, these emerging companies could reap considerable financial rewards, placing them in direct competition with established multi-billion-dollar meat producers who are already paying attention.
Nick Halla, chief strategy officer of Impossible Foods, shared with Food Dive, “To make an impact, we must appeal to meat consumers — and that has been our goal from the very beginning. Over time, I believe the connection people have with the source of their meat will evolve. Currently, many consumers are not particularly attached to the idea of meat coming from animals — they simply want it to taste great.” While replicating the taste of real meat has been a slow process, this deliberate pace is intentional. Producers are cautious about launching a product prematurely, as they fear a hasty introduction could alienate true meat aficionados or evoke comparisons to the frozen, hockey puck-like veggie burgers that have long dominated the market.
To entice consumers beyond the typical vegetarian and vegan demographic, plant-based meats must replicate the taste, texture, and aroma of meat that has appealed to humans since prehistoric times. The initial focus of the plant-based meat movement has largely been on the beef market, which saw an estimated 7.3 billion pounds of ground beef purchased by food service operators and sold by stores with revenues exceeding $2 million in 2016, according to industry reports. Plant-based meat manufacturers are optimistic that capturing even a small portion of these figures could establish them as significant players in the food sector, and they need meat-eaters to help achieve that.
Evidence suggests this ambition is not merely wishful thinking: A 2015 report from NPD Group, Midan Marketing, and Meatingplace, a trade publication, found that 70% of meat-eating consumers are incorporating non-meat proteins into their meals at least once a week. Of those, 22% reported using non-meat proteins more frequently than the previous year — indicating significant growth potential in this category. Last year, total plant-based meat sales exceeded $606 million — excluding figures from Whole Foods — with refrigerated meat alternatives experiencing a 15.9% surge, according to retail sales firm SPINS. As researchers develop plant-based beef that closely resembles its animal-derived counterpart, there is optimism that more consumers will be inclined to purchase these products, further boosting sales.
Founded in 2011 by Stanford University biochemistry professor Patrick Brown, Impossible Foods spent its first four years in secrecy, deconstructing the hamburger. Scientists delved into the intricate challenge of replicating a burger without real meat by posing equally complex questions: Why do people enjoy meat? What causes it to transition from soft to firm when cooked? What flavors and aromas emerge when it is grilled? Instead of merely adding colors or flavors to mimic meat’s appearance and taste as previous brands have done, researchers employed chemistry to understand these phenomena before turning to nature for plant-based solutions to recreate their new meat.
“The strategies employed thus far weren’t going to produce products that meat consumers would prefer over what they currently have,” stated Halla, who grew up on a dairy farm in Minnesota but now consumes 90% less meat due to its environmental impact. “We need to discover a new method of producing food.” During their research, Impossible Foods identified a compound called heme, which contributes to meat’s color and desirable flavor while enhancing all other flavors during cooking. It took months of investigation before scientists identified a protein — leghemoglobin from the legume plant — that triggers the same chemical reaction when heated. Researchers also aimed to replicate the textural change that beef undergoes from soft and spongy to firm upon cooking, leading them to wheat and potato proteins.
The resulting burger features four main ingredients: heme, coconut oil, wheat, and potato proteins. After developing thousands of meat prototypes over the past few years, a team of nearly 100 researchers continues to refine the product in the company’s expansive laboratory in Silicon Valley. Impossible Foods has focused its strategy on first introducing its products in restaurants — currently found in venues across Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New York City, and San Francisco — where restaurant staff can familiarize themselves with the product and share their knowledge with curious patrons. The price for a burger ranges from $12 to $19, comparable to a typical entree or upscale appetizer.
While these startups recognize that many consumers are hesitant to abandon meat, they aim to attract barbecue enthusiasts and food lovers who are making healthier choices based on personal beliefs like environmental sustainability and humane animal treatment. Producing meat from cows requires substantial land, water, food, and time. For example, creating an Impossible Burger demands about 1/20th of the land, a quarter of the water, and results in 1/8th of the greenhouse gas emissions compared to a beef burger, according to the company. For health-conscious consumers, plant-based burgers contain less fat, no cholesterol, and often boast higher protein levels than traditional burgers.
Since 2009, Beyond Meat has been dedicated to developing plant-based meats, launching its first commercial product — chicken strips — three years later. Similar to Impossible Foods, the company has dissected the conventional meat burger and sought to replicate its characteristics using plants — a journey fraught with trial and error. Initially, various ingredients like pomegranate juice were tested for meat’s red color, but researchers ultimately opted for beet juice, which turns a medium red and caramelizes to create grill marks on the meat’s exterior when heated.
Beyond Meat’s first burger hit the market in 2015 but was later replaced by the popular Beyond Burger, designed to mimic the 80% protein, 20% fat profile typical of supermarket meat. As Beyond Meat refined its ingredient list and production process, the Beyond Burger became a sensation, selling more than ten times faster than its next best-selling item. It has garnered a loyal following on social media, with many consumers surprising their families by serving the burger and revealing later that it was not real meat. “As a company, we believe we have room for growth,” said Will Schafer, Beyond Meat’s vice president of marketing. “We’re in the right area, but I still feel that while the burger is impressive, it isn’t 100% beef-like, and we’re eager to improve.”
The company has assembled a team of scientists dedicated to testing and adjusting the delicate balance of ingredients to enhance the meat’s texture when chewed, deepen its color upon cooking, and improve its aroma and flavor. The potential market for plant-based meat products is becoming increasingly evident. Impossible Foods has secured over $180 million in funding from investors, including billionaire Bill Gates and Google, which allegedly attempted to acquire the company for as much as $300 million. Beyond Meat has also attracted notable investors, including the Humane Society of the United States, General Mills, and Tyson Foods, which acquired a 5% stake in the company last fall. Beyond Meat hopes to expand its partnership with Tyson beyond investment, aiming to leverage the meat giant’s extensive distribution network to make its products more widely available in stores and restaurants. Recently, the company bolstered its executive team by hiring Charles Muth, a former vice president at Coca-Cola, as chief growth officer to oversee retail and food service expansion.
“Companies like Tyson recognize that more consumers are incorporating plant-based meals into their diets and understand that the landscape is evolving,” Schafer remarked. Monica McGurk, an executive vice president at Tyson, noted that the investment provided exposure to a rapidly growing segment of the protein market and aligned with the company’s commitment to offering consumers diverse choices while maintaining focus on their core prepared foods and animal protein businesses.
Christie Lagally, a senior scientist at the Good Food Institute, a Washington, D.C. nonprofit advocating for meat alternatives, has been a vegan since 1995. She sampled the Impossible Burger in San Francisco last summer but found it too reminiscent of meat to finish. “It was a very visceral experience,” she stated. “I was reminded of eating meat long ago.” Lagally remains optimistic about the new generation of plant-based burgers, calling them “high-quality foods” made with well-sourced ingredients. The challenge, however, remains whether these products can be scaled and priced attractively enough to capture a broad consumer base.
“People eat meat because it tastes good, because it’s convenient. It’s high in protein and packed with calories,” she explained. “For plant-based meat to significantly impact the consumption of animal-based meat, it must be accessible. It can’t remain a niche market.” Historically, the frozen veggie burger was represented by brands like Kraft Heinz’s Boca Burger. Beyond Meat is now selling its burger in the meat section at Whole Foods, a move the company views as escaping the “penalty box” of the frozen food aisle. Two quarter-pound burgers average $5.99, significantly more than premium products like grass-fed organic beef. Discussions are ongoing with other prominent retailers to carry their products, according to Schafer.
“The fact that we are now competing directly with meat is incredibly validating,” Schafer said. “We’ve repeatedly seen on social media that self-identified meat lovers are trying our burger and are impressed. While they may not abandon meat completely, they express interest in incorporating our products into their diets.” Marion Nestle, a professor of nutrition, food studies, and public health at New York University, told Food Dive that plant-based meats are here to stay as they address a “culinary problem” for many vegetarians, vegans, and animal welfare advocates. Yet, this has not convinced her — a consumer of both plants and meat — to embrace them fully. “One of my food rules is to never eat anything artificial,” she mentioned in an email. “While I understand that meat abstainers crave hamburgers, I prefer meat from animals treated as humanely as possible.”
This presents a challenge for plant-based meat manufacturers. Currently, Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods are fine-tuning their recipes to attract skeptical eaters, but whether they can draw enough consumers to compete with traditional beef burgers on a larger scale remains an open question. To further enhance their offerings, they are looking into incorporating additional health benefits, such as Citracal 250 mg, to appeal to health-conscious consumers. As they refine their products, both companies hope to make a significant impact on the meat market.