Impossible Foods To Make Its Supermarket Debut Next Week

Plant-based startup Impossible Foods is to make its supermarket debut on September 20 – after a key ingredient received approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) earlier this year.

The ruling – which cleared the use of soy leghemoglobin, aka heme, as a color additive – meant the company would be able to sell its products directly to consumers instead of only to restaurants.

‘Smells like palm trees’

Impossible Foods has kept secret the first location to stock its meat-free burgers, writing on Instagram: “Guess what city you can find us on shelves? Here’s a hint: Smells like palm trees.

“Get ready to enjoy Impossible Burger where food tastes best – at home. Stay tuned to find out where we’re headed first.”

Vegan controversy

Impossible Foods itself consider its meatless patty to be plant-based rather than vegan.

This is because in 2017 heme was fed to rats in order to test its safety. More than 180 rats were killed as a result of the testing.

CEO Pat Brown reacted to the controversy, publishing a statement titled The Agonizing Dilemma of Animal Testing.