While the American market is dominated by meat-eating consumers, it is evolving its diet preferences by accepting plant-based food in its meal. Additionally, young people are also expanding their food horizons, in search of new protein alternatives. This has fueled a growth in sales of plant-based burger and has encouraged many companies to innovate new products that replicate meat’s flavor without using meat.

The Impossible Foods, a firm that produces plant-based products with a vision to substitute meat products, announced that for the first time, its Impossible Burgers will be available in grocery stores September 20th onwards, people can buy the plant-based burger from 27 Gelson’s Markets stores located in Southern California, with more grocery stores set to sell the product in coming future.

According to reliable sources, the company is planning to expand its reach in the East Coast by the end of October and intends to cover every region of the nation by the Q3-Q4 of 2020. The launch brings the company closer to its competitor Beyond Meat, which previously had dominance on the grocery stores whilst also retailing in restaurants

Evidently, Beyond Meat is available in various stores, such as Kroger, Whole Foods, Publix, Safeway, Wegmans, Sprouts and Target. Compared to this line-up, Impossible Foods has a lot catching up to do.

Reportedly, the company had debuted its version 2.0 impossible burger at CES 2019 in Las Vegas, which according to many people was nearly undistinguishable from the burgers made using actual beef. All credit goes to its new ingredient, soy leghemoglobin that simulates ground beef’s tastes, cooks and looks.

Sources cite that the delay in capitalizing the grocery market was due to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which was slow to completely clear soy leghemoglobin as a safe color additive. But the FDA finally gave its approval, enabling the company to sell its beef-like burger directly to the consumers.

For the record, Impossible Burger will be offered for $8.99 in 12-ounce packages, but Gelson’s Markets will restrict the customers by allowing only 10 packages per visit. The limitation might be disappointing for many die-hard Impossible fans who have been eagerly waiting to buy it from the store.

Source Credit: https://www.theverge.com/2019/9/19/20869271/impossible-burger-foods-gelsons-markets-southern-california-meat-free-plant-based

https://gizmodo.com/the-fda-has-finally-approved-the-impossible-burger-to-b-1836880448