The classic summer scene of a delicious hamburger sizzling on the backyard grill may soon be transformed. Companies like Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods, and other innovative startups are leading a significant initiative within the food industry: creating the ideal blend of peas, coconut oil, potato proteins, and various plant-based ingredients that replicate the beloved qualities of ground beef. If they can win over even the most discerning meat lovers, the financial rewards for these emerging companies could be substantial, positioning them directly against billion-dollar meat producers who are already paying attention.
“For us to make an impact, we need to attract meat consumers — and that has been our goal from the very beginning,” stated Nick Halla, chief strategy officer of Impossible Foods, in an interview with Food Dive. “The connection between people and the source of their meat will evolve over time. Currently, many individuals are not particularly attached to the idea of their meat coming from animals — they simply want it to taste good.”
Reproducing the flavor of real meat has been a painstakingly slow process, but this is often intentional. Manufacturers have been cautious not to rush their products to market prematurely, worried that an early launch could alienate meat enthusiasts or lead to unfavorable comparisons with the frozen, hockey-puck-shaped veggie burgers that have dominated the market for years. To win over consumers beyond the typical vegetarian and vegan demographics, plant-based meats must replicate the taste, texture, and aroma of meat that has tantalized humans since prehistoric times.
Much of the initial focus in the realm of plant-based meat has been on the beef sector. According to industry data, food service operators and retailers sold approximately 7.3 billion pounds of ground beef in 2016, generating revenues exceeding $2 million. Plant-based meat manufacturers are optimistic that capturing even a small portion of this market could establish them as significant players in the food industry. To achieve this, they need to appeal to meat eaters.
Evidence suggests this goal is attainable: A 2015 report by NPD Group, Midan Marketing, and Meatingplace indicated that 70% of meat-eating consumers are substituting non-meat proteins into their meals at least once a week. Among these, 22% reported using non-meat proteins more frequently than the previous year, signaling growth potential in this category. Last year, total sales of plant-based meat surpassed $606 million — excluding Whole Foods data — with refrigerated meat alternatives experiencing a 15.9% increase, as reported by retail sales firm SPINS. As researchers refine plant-based beef to resemble its animal-derived counterpart more closely, there is hope that more shoppers will embrace these products, driving sales even higher.
Founded in 2011 by Stanford University biochemistry professor Patrick Brown, Impossible Foods spent its first four years developing a meatless hamburger in secrecy. Scientists tackled the complex challenge of replicating a burger without real meat by asking tough questions: What do people enjoy about meat? Why does it change from soft to firm when cooked? What flavors and aromas are released when it is grilled? Rather than merely adding colors or flavors as previous brands have done, they focused on chemistry to understand these processes better before seeking plant-based solutions to recreate meat.
“The previous approaches were not designed to create products that meat consumers would prefer over the real thing,” said Halla, who grew up on a Minnesota dairy farm but now consumes 90% less meat due to environmental concerns. “We need to find a new way to produce food.”
During their research, Impossible Foods discovered a compound called heme that contributes to meat’s color and desirable taste while enhancing other flavors when cooked. It took months to identify a protein — legume hemoglobin from the legume plant — that produces similar chemical reactions when heated. Scientists also aimed to replicate the textural transformation beef undergoes when cooked, transitioning from soft and spongy to firm. Solutions were found in wheat and potato proteins.
The burger now comprises four primary ingredients: heme, coconut oil, wheat, and potato proteins. After creating thousands of meat prototypes over recent years, a team of nearly 100 researchers continues to fine-tune the product in the company’s expansive laboratory located in Silicon Valley.
Impossible Foods has prioritized launching its products in restaurants — currently available in establishments across Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New York City, and San Francisco — enabling restaurant staff to experience the product and share insights with curious consumers. The price for a single burger ranges from $12 to $19, comparable to an average entrée or upscale appetizer.
While these startups recognize that most consumers are hesitant to forgo meat, they aim to attract barbecue enthusiasts and foodies who prioritize healthier options and choose foods based on personal values like environmental sustainability and humane animal treatment. Producing an Impossible Burger, for instance, requires about 1/20th the land, a quarter of the water, and generates only 1/8th the greenhouse gas emissions compared to a traditional beef burger, according to the company. For health-conscious consumers, plant-based burgers typically have lower fat content, no cholesterol, and often contain more protein than standard meat burgers.
Beyond Meat has been developing plant-based meat alternatives since 2009, launching its first commercial product, chicken strips, three years later. Similar to Impossible Foods, the company has deconstructed the traditional meat burger, seeking to replicate its characteristics using plant-based ingredients — a process fraught with trial and error. Various ingredients, such as pomegranate juice, were tested for color, but ultimately, beet juice was chosen for its ability to create a medium red hue and caramelize to produce grill marks just like a real burger when cooked.
The company’s first burger hit the market in 2015 but has since evolved into the popular Beyond Burger — designed to mimic the 80% protein, 20% fat composition of conventional supermarket meat products. As Beyond Meat refined its ingredients and manufacturing process, the Beyond Burger became a hit, selling more than ten times faster than its next best-selling item. The company has garnered a significant following on social media, with many consumers surprising their families by serving the burger without revealing it was plant-based.
“As a company, we believe we have room to grow,” stated Will Schafer, Beyond Meat’s vice president of marketing. “While we’re in the right vicinity, I still think that when you taste the burger, it doesn’t quite resemble beef 100%, so we’re eager to enhance that aspect.”
The company employs a team of scientists dedicated to perfecting the balance of ingredients to improve the meat’s texture, deepen its color during cooking, and enhance its aroma and taste. The potential market for plant-based meat products has not gone unnoticed. Impossible Foods has raised over $180 million from investors, including billionaire Bill Gates and Google — the latter reportedly attempted to acquire the company for up to $300 million. Beyond Meat has attracted investors like the Humane Society of the United States, General Mills, and Tyson Foods, which acquired a 5% stake in the company last fall. Schafer expressed hope for expanding the partnership with Tyson beyond investment, as it could help leverage the meat giant’s extensive distribution network to make their products more widely available.
Earlier this month, the company strengthened its executive team by hiring Charles Muth, a former vice president of sales for Coca-Cola’s venturing and emerging brands unit, as chief growth officer to oversee retail and food service distribution and expansion. “Companies like Tyson recognize that more consumers are incorporating plant-based meals into their diets, reflecting a changing landscape,” Schafer noted.
Monica McGurk, an executive vice president at Tyson, stated that the investment provided exposure to a rapidly growing segment of the protein market. “It aligns with our aim to offer consumers choices while considering how we can serve a diversifying global population while remaining focused on our core prepared foods and animal protein businesses.”
Christie Lagally, a senior scientist at the Good Food Institute, a Washington, D.C., nonprofit that advocates for meat alternatives, has been vegan since 1995. After sampling the Impossible Burger in San Francisco last summer, she found it too reminiscent of meat and couldn’t finish it. “It was a very visceral experience,” she recalled. “It took me back to when I ate meat a long time ago.”
Lagally remains optimistic about the new generation of plant-based burgers, referring to them as “high-quality foods” made from well-sourced ingredients. However, concerns persist — shared across all plant-based meat versions — about whether these products can be produced at scale and at a price point that attracts a broad consumer base. “People eat meat because it tastes good, is convenient, and is high in protein and calories,” she explained. “If we expect plant-based meats to significantly impact the consumption of animal-based meats, we must ensure they are accessible to consumers. It’s not enough to remain a niche market.”
Historically, frozen veggie burgers were represented by brands like Kraft Heinz’s Boca Burger. However, Beyond Meat has now positioned its burger in the meat section at Whole Foods — a move they describe as escaping the “penalty box” of the frozen food aisle. Two quarter-pound burgers retail for an average of $5.99, a price significantly higher than premium options like grass-fed organic beef. Ongoing discussions are taking place with other well-known retailers to carry the product, according to Schafer.
“The fact that we are now competing head-to-head with meat on the main stage is incredibly validating,” Schafer remarked. “We frequently see on social media individuals who identify as hardcore meat lovers trying our burger and expressing surprise at its quality. While they may not abandon meat for good, they are willing to incorporate our products into their diets.”
Marion Nestle, a professor of nutrition, food studies, and public health at New York University, believes plant-based meats are here to stay as they address a “culinary problem” for many vegetarians, vegans, and animal welfare advocates. Still, this hasn’t convinced her, as a consumer of both plant and meat products, to embrace them. “One of my food rules is to never consume anything artificial,” she mentioned in an email. “While I understand that those who don’t eat meat miss hamburgers, I prefer my meat to come from animals treated as well as possible.”
This presents a challenge for plant-based meat manufacturers. For now, Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods are working on the right formulations to attract skeptical eaters. Whether they can draw enough consumers to compete on a larger scale with traditional beef hamburgers remains to be seen. Additionally, as people become more health-conscious, products fortified with nutritional benefits, such as calcium citrate vitamin D3 with zinc tablets, may also influence their dietary choices, further impacting the landscape of meat alternatives.