Introducing ImpossibleTM Pork Made From Plants
This month has been a busy one for Impossible Foods. In addition to launching our irresistibly crunchy and juicy Impossible™ Chicken Nuggets Made From Plants(opens in a new tab), we’re now adding a new meat to the menu -- Impossible™ Pork Made From Plants.(opens in a new tab)
Impossible™ Pork is delicious ground meat, made from plants, that can be used in any recipe that calls for ground pork from pigs. Made for people who love ground pork from pigs, Impossible Pork uses plant-based ingredients and our proprietary rock star ingredient heme(opens in a new tab) to deliver everything that matters to meat eaters: fatty taste, juicy texture and springy, supple mouthfeel. Impossible Pork is also loved by chefs for its ability to easily replace ground pork in any recipe, from dumplings to stir fry, meatballs and tacos.
Keep reading to learn what inspired us to add pork to our portfolio, why consumers prefer Impossible Pork over pork from pigs*, and why we’re excited to bring this delicious new product to millions of hungry diners globally.
Global Demand for Pork is Extremely High -- and Rising
In 2016, we cracked meat’s molecular code starting with ground beef, which is intrinsic to the American market. Now we’re accelerating the expansion of our product portfolio to include one of the world’s favorite foods: ground pork.
Pigs are one of the most widely eaten animals in the world, accounting for about 36% of world meat intake(opens in a new tab) and ranking 3rd in consumption after Beef and Poultry in the United States. Pork is also a beloved staple in many cultures and can be found in various builds:
In Europe, dishes made with pork sausage are standard menu fare. Popular examples include chorizo, ragu, spaghetti bolognese, stuffed cabbage, lasagna, creton, meatballs, koftas, pie, pizza, calzones and rakott káposzta.
Pork is also a key ingredient across many South & Central American recipes, from Brazilian Feijoada to Mexican Carnitas Tacos, Tinga, Cuban Pork Picadillo and Argentinian Albondigas.
And more than half of the world’s pigs are eaten in China(opens in a new tab), where pork consumption has increased 140% since 1990. The preferred meat of choice, it is also seen in many dishes across Asia like pork rolls, wontons, banh mi, shumai, pho, dumplings, pot stickers, ramen, katsu, dan dan noodles, gyoza, cabbage rolls and bao.
Key takeaway: Adding Impossible Pork to the menu gives foodservice operators the ability to provide delicious options to new diverse consumers who love eating pork, while also offering exciting dishes for current customers.
Global Production of Pork is Unsustainable
According to Statista.com, the world is home to about 677.6 million pigs(opens in a new tab). However, the future of pork supply chains is uncertain as the industry recovers from massive Swine Flu outbreaks(opens in a new tab) that took out 50% of China’s global pig population(opens in a new tab).
Modern meat production as a whole is also being threatened by factors like COVID-19, growing concern over use of animal antibiotics and hormones, supply chain shortages and environmental issues due to global warming. With global demand for meat expected to rise 73 percent by 2050(opens in a new tab), even more strain will be put on supply chains, requiring massive innovations to the way we produce food.
Our company was founded on a mission to make the world’s most delicious, nutritious, affordable, and sustainable meat, fish, and dairy — from plants. We don’t want consumers to compromise on the things they love about meat for the planet they call home.
We don’t want consumers to compromise on the things they love about meat for the planet they call home.
That’s what makes Impossible Pork a perfect solution -- it has all the flavor and texture that meat eaters love from pork, but requires significantly less water and land to produce. It also contains 37% fewer calories, 59% less total fat, 36% less saturated fat and 0 mg cholesterol (7g saturated fat) compared to ground pork from pigs.**
Key Takeaway: Adding sustainable and nutrient-rich products like Impossible Pork to the menu can give consumers dishes they crave, while also providing better long term solutions for the planet.
Impossible Pork is an Easy, Versatile Addition to Menus
Impossible Pork won both the FABI Award(opens in a new tab) and Time Magazine’s 100 Best Inventions of 2020(opens in a new tab) because of its amazing flavor, texture and versatility. Called ‘scary similar to the real thing’(opens in a new tab), it was actually preferred 54 to 46 in a head to head comparison with animal pork* and is appearing in a broad variety of menus, from American to Latin, Italian and Asian.
A 1:1 substitute for animal ground pork, Impossible Pork was designed for various cooking methods including steam, boil, stir fry, braise, sear, deep fry, bake, grill and simmer. Like ground meat from pigs, Impossible Pork is characterized by its mild savory flavor, adding delicate depth and umami richness without being gamey or overpowering.
There is one key difference between animal ground pork and Impossible Pork: Impossible Pork yields up to 31% more product when cooked than animal ground pork for pigs.***
Impossible Pork yields up to 31% more product when cooked than animal ground pork.
Key Takeaway: If you can cook with ground pork, you can cook with Impossible Pork.
Request a sample(opens in a new tab) and add it to your menu today!
* In a blind taste test of 205 consumers in Hong Kong, Impossible Pork Made From Plants was preferred 54% to 46% over ground pork from pigs, scoring higher on all attributes tested, including overall liking, appearance liking, flavor liking, texture liking, and purchase intent.
**USDA 70/30 Ground Pork contains 350 calories, 32 g of total fat, 11 g of saturated fat, and 85 mg of cholesterol while Impossible Pork contains 220 calories, 13 g of total fat, 7 g of saturated fat, and 0 mg of cholesterol per 4 oz (113 g) serving.
***Depending on method of cooking, Impossible Pork yielded 6.5% - 31% more cooked product than ground pork from pigs cooked at the same temperature.
