The classic summer scene of a succulent hamburger grilling in the backyard may be on the verge of transformation. Companies like Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods are leading an ambitious initiative in the food industry: developing a blend of peas, coconut oil, potato proteins, and other plant-based ingredients that can replicate the beloved qualities of ground beef. If they can win over even the most dedicated meat lovers, the financial rewards for these emerging businesses could be substantial, putting them in direct competition with established multi-billion dollar meat producers who are already taking notice.
“For us to make an impact, we need to attract meat consumers — and that’s 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 origins of their meat will evolve over time. Currently, most people are not strongly attached to their meat coming from animals — they simply want it to taste good.”
Recreating the flavor of real meat has been an arduous process, but often that’s by intention. Manufacturers are cautious about releasing products before they’re fully prepared, as a hasty launch could alienate meat enthusiasts or lead to negative comparisons with the frozen veggie burgers that have long dominated the market. To appeal to consumers beyond the traditional vegetarian and vegan demographic, plant-based meats must closely mimic the taste, texture, and aroma of meat that has tantalized humans since prehistoric times.
The initial focus of plant-based meat development has been on the beef market. In 2016, food service operators and retail stores sold an estimated 7.3 billion pounds of ground beef, generating revenue exceeding $2 million, according to industry statistics. 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. They need meat eaters to achieve this goal.
Evidence suggests this ambition is not mere fantasy: a 2015 report by NPD Group, Midan Marketing, and Meatingplace revealed that 70% of meat-eating consumers are incorporating non-meat proteins into their meals at least once a week. Furthermore, 22% of these consumers reported using non-meat proteins more frequently than the previous year, indicating significant growth potential in this sector. Last year, sales of plant-based meat surpassed $606 million—excluding Whole Foods data—with refrigerated meat alternatives experiencing a 15.9% surge, according to retail analytics firm SPINS. As researchers continue to refine plant-based beef to more closely resemble animal products, there is optimism that more shoppers will be inclined to purchase these alternatives, driving sales even higher.
Impossible Foods, founded by Stanford biochemistry professor Patrick Brown in 2011, dedicated its first four years to secretly deconstructing the hamburger. Scientists faced the complex challenge of replicating a burger without real meat by exploring difficult questions: What makes meat appealing? Why does it change texture when cooked? What flavors and aromas arise during grilling? Instead of merely adding colors or flavors as previous brands attempted, they used chemistry to understand these phenomena and sought plant-based solutions to recreate the characteristics of meat.
During their research, Impossible Foods discovered heme, a compound that contributes to meat’s color and flavor, as well as enhancing other tastes when cooked. This led to the identification of leghemoglobin, a protein derived from legumes that produces a similar chemical reaction when heated. Researchers also aimed to replicate the textural transformation beef undergoes during cooking, which they achieved using wheat and potato proteins. The resulting burger now consists of four primary ingredients: heme, coconut oil, and wheat and potato proteins. After developing thousands of prototypes over recent years, a dedicated team of nearly 100 researchers continues to fine-tune the product in the company’s expansive Silicon Valley laboratory.
Impossible Foods has adopted a strategy of first launching its products in restaurants — currently available in establishments across Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New York City, and San Francisco — allowing restaurant staff to experience the product firsthand and share their insights with interested consumers. The price for a single burger, ranging from $12 to $19, aligns with typical entrée prices or high-end appetizers.
While these startups recognize that most consumers are hesitant to abandon meat entirely, they aim to attract barbecue enthusiasts and food lovers who are becoming more health-conscious and increasingly making food choices based on personal beliefs such as environmental sustainability and humane treatment of animals. Producing meat from cows requires a significant amount of land, water, food, and time. For instance, creating an Impossible Burger requires approximately 1/20th of the land, a quarter of the water, and generates 1/8th of the greenhouse gas emissions compared to a beef burger, according to the company. Additionally, plant-based burgers contain less fat, no cholesterol, and often boast higher protein levels than traditional burgers.
Beyond Meat has been innovating in the plant-based meat sector since 2009, introducing its first commercial product—chicken strips—in 2012. Similar to Impossible Foods, Beyond Meat has deconstructed the conventional meat burger and sought to replicate its characteristics using plants, a process that has involved considerable experimentation. Initially, various ingredients like pomegranate juice were tested for color, but researchers ultimately opted for beet juice, which turns a medium red and caramelizes to create grill marks akin to those on a traditional burger when heated.
The company’s first burger launched in 2015 has since evolved into the popular Beyond Burger, designed to resemble the 80% protein, 20% fat composition typical of supermarket meat products. The Beyond Burger has gained remarkable popularity, selling more than ten times faster than its closest competitor. It has garnered a dedicated fan base on social media, with many users surprising their families by serving the burger and later revealing it wasn’t meat. “As a company, we believe there’s still room for improvement,” remarked Will Schafer, Beyond Meat’s vice president of marketing. “While we’re in the right direction, I believe our burger still doesn’t fully equate to beef, and we’re eager to enhance it further.”
Beyond Meat employs a team of scientists focused on refining the balance of ingredients to enhance the meat’s texture, deepen its color during cooking, and improve its aroma and flavor. The potential market for plant-based meat products has drawn significant attention. Impossible Foods has raised over $180 million from investors, including billionaire Bill Gates and Google, the latter of which reportedly attempted to acquire the company for as much as $300 million. Beyond Meat has its share of notable investors, including the Humane Society of the United States, General Mills, and Tyson Foods, which purchased a 5% stake in the company last fall. Beyond Meat hopes to expand its partnership with Tyson beyond mere investment, leveraging the meat giant’s extensive distribution network to increase product availability in more stores and restaurants. Recently, the company bolstered its executive team, hiring Charles Muth, former vice president of sales for Coca-Cola’s ventures and emerging brands, as its 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 and understand that the market landscape is shifting,” said Schafer. Monica McGurk, an executive vice president at Tyson, noted that the investment provided exposure to a rapidly growing segment of the protein market, aligning with the company’s aim to offer consumers diverse choices while maintaining focus on core prepared foods and animal protein operations.
Christie Lagally, a senior scientist for the Good Food Institute, a nonprofit promoting meat alternatives, has been a vegan since 1995. She recently sampled the Impossible Burger in San Francisco but could not finish it because it reminded her too much of meat. “It was a very visceral experience,” she reflected, recalling how it transported her back to her meat-eating days. Nonetheless, Lagally is optimistic about the new generation of plant-based burgers, describing them as “high-quality foods” made with well-sourced ingredients. The overarching concern—shared across all plant-based meat products—is whether they can be produced at a scale and price point that attracts a broader consumer base.
“People enjoy meat for its taste, convenience, high protein content, and calorie density,” Lagally explained. “If we expect plant-based meat to significantly reduce animal-based meat consumption, we must ensure it reaches consumers effectively. It cannot remain a niche market.” For years, frozen veggie burgers were represented by brands like Kraft Heinz’s Boca Burger. However, Beyond Meat now sells its burgers in the meat section of Whole Foods, a move the company describes as escaping the “penalty box” of frozen foods. Two quarter-pound burgers retail for an average of $5.99, significantly higher than premium options like grass-fed organic beef. Ongoing discussions aim to secure placement for the product in other “household-name retailers,” according to Schafer.
“The fact that we are now competing head-to-head with meat on the main stage is incredibly validating,” Schafer stated. “Time and again, we’ve seen on social media that self-identified ‘red-blooded carnivores’ try our burger and are pleasantly surprised. While they may not give up meat entirely, many express their intention to incorporate our product into their diets.”
Marion Nestle, a professor of nutrition, food studies, and public health at New York University, noted that plant-based meats are here to stay, as they address a “culinary problem” for numerous vegetarians, vegans, and animal welfare advocates. However, this insight hasn’t swayed her — a consumer of both plant and animal products — to embrace them. “One of my food rules is to avoid artificial ingredients,” she remarked in an email. “While I understand that non-meat eaters miss hamburgers, I’m not fully convinced. I prefer meat sourced from animals that have been treated as humanely as possible.”
This presents a challenge for plant-based meat manufacturers. Currently, Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods are striving to perfect their recipes to win over skeptical consumers, but whether they can attract enough customers to rival real beef hamburgers on a larger scale remains to be seen. In the meantime, as they work on creating appealing products, consumers may also consider dietary supplements like calcium citrate d3 petites dietary supplement tablets 200 count to support their nutritional needs alongside these innovative meat alternatives.