After three years of being served in more than 17,000 restaurants, the Impossible Burger plant-based meat finally made its grocery store debut.
27 Gelson’s Markets stores in Southern California began selling the Impossible Burger last weekend to the general public.
Throughout the fourth quarter and in early 2020, Impossible Foods will expand its retail presence by launching the Impossible Burger in industry-leading grocery stores in key regions. Impossible Foods will launch in additional grocery stores later this month, when the Impossible Burger makes its East Coast debut.
“Our first step into retail is a watershed moment in Impossible Foods’ history,” said Impossible Foods’ Senior Vice President Nick Halla, who oversees the company’s retail expansion. “We’re thrilled and humbled that our launch partners for this limited release are homegrown, beloved grocery stores with cult followings in their regions.”
Increased demand for personalization is challenging the food shopping experience, and a growing number of shoppers are turning to plant-based proteins to help meet their unique household needs, according to FMI’s 2019 U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends report.
The report Power of Meat 2019, prepared by the Food Marketing Institute, stated that plant-based meat alternatives sales increased 19.2% in 2018 and account for $878 million in annual sales.
Impossible Foods is joining brands like Beyond Meat, MorningStar, Gardein, and Kroger’s newly announced Simple Truth: Plant-Based on grocery store shelves.
Founded in 2011 by Patrick O. Brown, a Stanford biochemistry professor emeritus and former pediatrician, Impossible Foods makes meat from plants with a much smaller environmental footprint than meat from animals. The company uses modern science and technology to create wholesome food, restore natural ecosystems, and feed a growing population sustainably. Impossible Foods’ mission is to eliminate the need for animals in the food chain by 2035.
A recent survey on the plant-based meat market by Bank of America Merrill Lynch shows that sentiment for the growing industry is still high, according to Business Insider.
The study, which surveyed over 1,400 consumers on preferences and sentiment, offers 7 key takeaways:
- Consumers want to buy plant-based meat and many plan to buy it more than once.
- Most people use it as a supplement to animal-based proteins, not a substitute.
- Animal welfare is a big reason people buy plant-based meat, but health is important too.
- The ingredients in products matter.
- Most people buy plant-based meat in grocery stores.
- Prices are high and need to come down.
- Beyond Meat isn’t the most recognized brand, Morningstar Farms is.