Impossible Foods announces another step in its journey toward world domination; while conventional protein giants Bumble Bee and Cargill get in on the meat-free fun with a new partnership, private-label plant-based products.
Impossible Foods turning hypergrowth into lower prices
Image credit: Impossible Foods
Thanks to skyrocketing month-over-month demand and new economies of scale,
Impossible Foods announced this week it will expand its product lineup; and drop
prices, to rival conventional meat in every way.
The move comes amid continued production records for the flagship Impossible
Burger, now served at thousands of national QSR chains including Burger
King, Red Robin, Qdoba, Cheesecake Factory, Umami Burger,
White
Castle
and Hard Rock Cafe. Last week, Disney also made the Impossible
possible
at Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort and Disney Cruise
Line.
The product expansion and price reduction reflect the company’s vision to
compete against ground beef from cows in every way that matters to the consumer:
taste, nutrition, sustainability, convenience and affordability.
“We launched Impossible Burger at America’s top restaurants, and we still enjoy
a premium reputation among the world’s best chefs and gourmets,” said Impossible
Foods’ CEO Dr. Patrick O. Brown. “But our stated goal since the founding of
the company has always been to drive down prices through economies of scale,
reach price parity and then undercut the price of conventional ground beef from
cows. Today’s
price cut is just the latest step toward our goal of eliminating animals in the
food
system.”
The Impossible Burger rivals ground beef from cows
for taste and contains the same amount of protein — but with zero cholesterol
and a fraction of the negative environmental
impacts
inherent in livestock production.
Patties to the people
In addition to the price cut, Impossible Foods will further expand its product
lineup, which now includes quarter-pound and third-pound Impossible Burger
patties; the popular 5-pound bulk package of Impossible Burger — good for items
such as meatballs, tacos, chili and Bolognese; and Impossible
Pork,
which debuted at CES 2020 in January.
Another way Impossible Burger adds value is that it shrinks less during cooking
than ground beef from cows, which loses approximately 25 percent of its weight
when cooking; meaning more Impossible Burger ends up on the plate than a dish
cooked with the same amount of conventional ground beef.
Read more about Impossible Foods' latest move ...
Bumble Bee to distribute Good Catch's plant-based seafood
Image credit: Good Catch Foods
Also this week, Bumble Bee Foods, LLC — one of
North America’s largest branded seafood companies — announced it was joining the
plant-based protein brigade with a joint venture partnership with Gathered
Foods
Corporation's Good
Catch® brand of
plant-based seafood products. Bumble Bee will leverage its sales, distribution
and logistics expertise to ensure that consumers nationwide have access to Good
Catch products at affordable prices. This venture will make Bumble Bee the first
and only major seafood company to partner with a plant-based seafood brand.
“This partnership is a win for Bumble Bee, Good Catch, consumers and the health
of our oceans. Bumble Bee has always been deeply committed to sustainable
fishing and we have been actively working to manage fish stocks across our
portfolio,” said Bumble Bee President and CEO Jan Tharp. “It is critically important that as an industry we continue to find
innovative solutions to decouple growth with environmental impact. Providing
great-tasting alternative ways for consumers to enjoy ocean-inspired foods is a
key pillar of our long-term commitment to ocean health.”
As overfishing continues to threaten sustainable global fish
stocks,
seafood is the next wave in the plant-based revolution, which has been centered
in the dairy and meat aisle. Good Catch has created great-tasting plant-based
products using a proprietary blend of ingredients that offer similar texture,
flavor and nutritional value as seafood, while promoting healthier oceans. Along
with brands such as Loma
Linda
and Sophie’s
Kitchen,
Good Catch is poised to satisfy the growing consumer appetite for plant-based
seafood; and through this partnership with Bumble Bee, now has the ability to
meet the ever-growing demand.
As an independent company, Good Catch will remain focused on developing and
marketing great-tasting plant-based products. Bumble Bee says it will continue
to bring consumers sustainably sourced
seafood
— including tuna, salmon, clams and sardines.
Cargill launches plant-based private-label products
Image credit: Karine Avetisyan/Unsplash
Meanwhile, global food and agriculture company Cargill is also getting in on
the meat-free fun: The company recently announced its new private-label,
plant-based patties and ground products will hit retailers and restaurants in
early April — and it’s calling them “some of the best-tasting products available
in the plant-based category today.”
“Cargill has a strong history of providing high-quality protein products to
customers,” said Elizabeth Gutschenritter, managing director of Cargill’s
alternative protein team. “Producing plant-based products across our global
supply chain is the logical next step to expanding our ability to meet consumer
needs and bring new value to this category.”
Much like the growing group of fossil fuel companies
dipping their toes into renewable
energy,
Cargill has invested $7 billion globally in animal protein in the last five
years while making strategic investments in alternative proteins.
“We need to keep all protein options on the table,” said Brian Sikes, leader
of Cargill’s global protein and salt business. “Whether you are eating
alternative or animal protein, Cargill will be at the center of the plate.”
Published Mar 5, 2020 7am EST / 4am PST / 12pm GMT / 1pm CET
Sustainable Brands Staff