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Business Wars

Beyond Meat vs Impossible Burger | Flame Broiled | 2

Oct 23, 2024
In 2016, two innovators, Ethan and Pat, master the game of plant-based burgers. Beyond Meat catches eyes on Wall Street while Impossible Foods enlists celebrity chefs to elevate its brand. Tension rises as both companies navigate challenges from traditional meat ranchers and face issues like supply shortages. The excitement of Impossible's launch in New York contrasts with Beyond Meat's growing popularity at Whole Foods. The battle heats up as legislation emerges, and demand for plant-based options skyrockets.
31:03

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat employed distinct strategies in their rivalry, with one focusing on grocery shelves and the other on restaurant credibility.
  • The conflict between emerging plant-based brands and the traditional beef industry highlights a critical struggle between innovation and established food practices.

Deep dives

The Vision Behind Impossible Foods

Pat Brown founded Impossible Foods with the audacious goal of revolutionizing the meat industry by creating plant-based alternatives that closely mimic meat's taste and texture. He highlighted a key secret ingredient during a critical moment: heme, a molecule sourced from yeast that gives meat its red color and 'bleeding' quality. Despite the challenges in creating a commercially viable product, Brown was determined to make a significant environmental impact and reduce meat's ecological footprint. His rejection of a $200 million buyout offer from Google Ventures underscored his commitment to his vision and the belief that his company could ultimately change the world.

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