Impossible Foods CEO Says The Plant-Based Sector Became Too 'Woke And Partisan'
Impossible Foods CEO Says The Plant-Based Sector Became Too 'Woke And Partisan'
cross-posted from: https://feddit.uk/post/38464915
He brings up a good point in an utterly trash way.
Most people see “meat replacement” shit like impossible/beyond/morningstar/gardein/etc as “vegan/vegetarian” food. Thus, if they do not identify that way they pass it over.
Would it be best to convert said people to veganism? Of course. But is that likely a pipe dream? Probably also yes. And given that it is still a net benefit from both an animal welfare and climate perspective for meat eaters to integrate this stuff into their diet as much as possible.
The unfortunate truth is that veganism and animal welfare has absolutely played into the culture war bullshit and you will be lumped into the “sjw left” for not eating meat. He needs to work on how he delivers this message though because alienating the core demographic will just bankrupt the company (although oh well if so, fuck impossible). But at the same time the ultimate goal needs to be getting as many people as possible eating as little meat as possible. Unless you plan to make harvesting animals for food illegal somehow and if so good luck, I guess
That said in my experience most vegans don’t eat much impossible anyway. I don’t know how widespread this knowledge is but fwiw even though it is advertised as vegan that is only because it contains no animal products. Impossible utilized a great deal of animal testing that required destruction (read: euthanizing/killing) of the test subjects so that they could fast track FDA approval of soy leghemoglobin (branded as “heme”), the plant based analog for hemoglobin that gives impossible its “meaty” taste (and concerns about long term safety, especially if you eat a lot of it).
However this is not the only approach - beyond is big on being soy free so they do not use soy leghemoglobin. Instead they achieve the “meaty” flavor with a combination of amino acids, glutamates, and typical flavorings one would expect (smoke flavor, rest is unknown and proprietary. Thank the USA regulatory state for allowing this practice of hiding tons of shit under labels like “natural flavors”).
Impossible just sucks tbh. The interesting stuff is up and coming. Chunk foods is starting to get national distribution and is a far superior product (though expensive, unfortunately). It’s created through a process of fermentation of soy and wheat gluten. The end result is a product much closer to steak with a meaty flavor that avoids all the binders, preservatives, and flavorings that are in many other options (though you still get things like beet juice for color and coconut oil for fat content)
Or you know, just eat like, tofu and lentils
I don't really see why any carnist would eat a meat replacement that's 1) more expensive and 2) not as versatile and 3) less healthy
I'm vegan! Impossible is junk food. It's not a sustainable part of anyone's diet, it's a sometimes food for when you're feeling lazy or have a craving. There's basically no value here for carnists, they can just eat meat and have a better experience. Basically the only reason you'd eat Impossible is if you have ethical or political opinions that conflict with meat eating i.e. woke and partisan
Another CEO that doesn't understand his consumers, his market, his industry, or his purpose.
I like impossible/beyond.
I cook/eat a lot of it, making big cottage pies and the like, as tofu just doesn't taste good for replacing meat in these applications. I'm unfortunately gluten intolerant as well.
I do worry about the heme a bit, much more interested in beyond when given the choice.
it should be illegal to be a ceo
Wtf.... The entire concept of plant based meat is a woke concept... These motherfuckers should be drug tested weekly and the results posted publicly, if I have to do drug tests to do my job, these cunts should too.
What would that achieve?
I think you're making his point for him. It shouldn't be "a woke concept". Aside from the fact that word woke has practically lost all meaning, the reality is that everybody (outside of the animal farming industry) wins if fewer people are eating meat less often. I agree with his point that they shouldn't be focusing on this as a "meat replacement," especially because that implies it's only appealing to people who avoid eating meat entirely. The goal of converting the entire planet to veganism is a pipe dream. Presenting this not as a complete lifestyle change, but as an additional menu option alongside traditional choices instead of in opposition to them is a much easier path toward incremental change. That stance has potential to reach people across political and carnivorous boundaries and reach the shared goal of climate and global health improvements, while also appealing to capitalist shareholders. It seems win/win.
ceo is too high on his own farts.
Maybe your product didn't sell well among vegans because you made it with animal testing? Just a thought.
100% this. Always find it so hypocritical when vegans ignore the 188 rats that were tortured then killed by the PBC Impossible.
For me the point for vegan food isn't animals not being killed but the whole the agriculture around it being more sustainable. Eating plant stuff more or less directly just gives more bang per buck.
YOUR ENTIRE BRAND IS APPEALING TO VEGANS WHO ARE DAMN NEAR EXLUSIVELY LEFTISTS AND DEM VOTERS!
Oh fuck off Pete, stop blaming others for your failure to fulfill your sky high promises you made to your investors as you count your millions in your bank account.
Beyond meat is better than impossible meat.
Agree. I always pick it over impossible given the choice.
Also it's made from pea protein which has fewer allergens. I have an allergic issue with soy and wheat it seems which makes my vegan diet even more challenging than it should be.
"The Plant-Based Sector" aka most of agriculture. Rather than worrying about how to target vegans, how to target meat-eaters, and how "woke" you should be, wouldn't a better image to project be one of having the main goal of producing things that are appealing to people who like to eat food?
woke is like 2 things to conservatives: something i dont like, and a problem(usually about bigotry) i caused but i wont admit it, because i would look weak(things like jokes).
And now Impossible is on the boycott list. Godammit.
I don’t get meat alternatives. They’re all fucking gross, like CEOs and people that use the word “WoKe” in a non-satirical way. It’s funny watching him call the sector woke and politicized, when he’s doing literally the same thing by calling it woke. Maybe speak like an adult instead of a 4chan edgelord dumbass.
Whatever, as long as people are eating less meat.
Bold move, Cotton...
Sounds like I don't buy that brand anymore
you don't say
Pulling an Elon Musk and insulting your base? Bold move
The base as it is turned out too small anyways
Vegans/Vegetarians are not a small base in many parts of the world, but most vegan I know also don't consume like of impossible meats very much (once or twice per week at most?).
I genuinely like their products, but they are dramatically overpriced so we could never made them a regular part of our diet. Now they are on the shit list and they won’t be purchased again until this MAGA nazi is thrown out with a lead parachute.