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Impossible Foods has hit back after Lightlife, a plant-based brand owned by meat giant Maple Leaf Foods, branded its products ‘hyper-processed’ in a full-page ad in the New York Times.
The advertisement, which also criticized Beyond Meat, said: “Enough with the hyper-processed ingredients, GMOs, unnecessary additives and fillers, and fake blood…
“People deserve plant-based protein that is developed in a kitchen, not a lab. Our burger has only 11 ingredients. That’s it — not 18 or 20. Our ingredients are clean, recognizable, and simple to pronounce.
“There are no fillers, GMOs or additives like synthetically produced ‘soy leghemoglobin’ for flavor and color. These just aren’t necessary.”
‘Highly misleading’
In an Op-Ed published on Medium, Impossible Foods ‘set the record the straight’ and blasted Lightlife over its ‘false claims’.
“In a nutshell, Lightlife’s campaign is: highly misleading. The number of ingredients in a product (whether 11 or 18) is irrelevant; what matters is the quality and nutritional value of a product,” Impossible Foods communication team wrote.
“[It’s] a desperate attempt to cast doubt on a company and products against which it can’t compete on quality or value [and is] financed by one of the largest animal agriculture companies in North America.”
‘Made from plants’
Whilst Beyond Meat has not made a public statement in response to the add, it has changed its Instagram bio to direct people to its ‘ingredients’ page.
“We are on a mission to create the future of food,” the brand said on Instagram.
“Our ingredients are simple, made from plants and packed with protein, nutrients, and minerals – without any harmful by-products or synthetically produced ingredients.”
