10 Delicious ImpossibleTM Dishes to add to your Menu That Customers Will Love
Meat alternatives made from plants are now officially more than a trend. Year after year, the plant-based food retail category grows—and even outpaced the total U.S. food retail market in 2020(opens in a new tab), growing 27% while the total US retail food market grew by 15%. A study from Impossible Foods in January 2021 found that more than 1 in 4 U.S. consumers reduced their animal meat consumption in 2020*, and this trend is expected to continue in 2021. All of this to say: it’s officially time to put plant-based meat on your menu.
And we don’t mean garden burgers, veggie patties or tofu geared at vegetarians. We mean meaty meat made from plants like Impossible™ Burger that cook and satisfy like meat**—making them a direct substitute for meat versus a meat replacement like a bean burger.
56% of U.S. consumers who have tried plant-based meats prefer products that replicate the experience of eating animal meat*.
Keep reading to learn how simple it is to start cooking with Impossible Burger and Impossible™ Sausage Made from Plants and get some #menuinspiration. We’re also sharing tips on how to promote Impossible™ dishes on your menu so that they become bestsellers with your current customers, and help you bring in a whole slew of new fans.
10 Impossible dishes to add to your menu today
If you cook with ground beef, you’re already an expert at cooking with Impossible Burger because it works like ground beef. Sub Impossible Burger for your hamburger patty; crumble and grill it with seasoning of your choice for a spicy burrito filling or topped on french fries; form it into balls and sauté in tomato sauce for meatballs. You will be amazed at the versatility of cooking with Impossible meat. Here are ten items you can make with Impossible meat and add to your menu with minimal additional work.
Impossible Burger - Wahlburgers(opens in a new tab)
Image Source: Foodbeast.com(opens in a new tab)
2. Impossible™ Breakfast Burrito - Coco’s Bakery(opens in a new tab)
Image source: Coco's Bakery(opens in a new tab) Menu
3. Impossible ™ Handwich - Jamba Juice(opens in a new tab)
Image Source: Jamba Juice menu(opens in a new tab)
4. Impossible™ Chili Cheese Fries - Beef & Liberty
Image source: Greenqueen.com.hk(opens in a new tab)
5. Impossible™ Quesadilla - Wing Zone
Image Source: The Halal Eater(opens in a new tab)
6. Impossible™ Pasta - Ufficio
Image Courtesy of Impossible Foods
7. Impossible™ Banh Mi - Basil & Bunny(opens in a new tab)
Image Courtesy of Basil & Bunny
8. Impossible™ Melt - Park Bench Deli
Image Source: buro247.sg(opens in a new tab)
9. Impossible™ Bao - Little Bao(opens in a new tab)
Image Courtesy of Impossible Foods
10. Impossible™ Pizza - Maker Pizza(opens in a new tab)
Image Courtesy of Impossible Foods
How to highlight Impossible dishes on your menu
Once Impossible meat made from plants is on your menu, you have reason to celebrate. Our foodservice partners that treat their Impossible™ menu item debuts as new marketing moments bring in more new customers and drive more revenue. Aside from marketing strategies like Limited Time Offers, social media campaigns, and in-store signage to highlight your new plant-based dish, use these tips to educate customers on Impossible Burger or Impossible Sausage and why they should order it.
TIP 1: DON'T CALL IT "FAKE" OR "FAUX" MEAT
Those words can turn customers off. We recommend saying “plant-based”: it sounds tastier, and it’s how people are talking about it now.
TIP 2: PUT THE WORD ‘IMPOSSIBLE™’ IN THE NAME OF YOUR DISH
More and more people recognize the Impossible™ brand. Help them recognize it on your menu by using “Impossible™ Burger” or “Impossible™ Sausage Made from Plants” rather than a “vegan,” “veggie,” or even “plant-based burger/patty.” For example, if you add a pasta dish to the menu with Impossible Burger, call it “Impossible™ Spaghetti Bolognese.”
TIP 3: ALLOW YOUR CUSTOMERS TO SUB OUT IMPOSSIBLE™ MEAT IN ANY DISH
Impossible meat tastes great in any ground beef or sausage dish. Letting customers sub Impossible™ products can help people enjoy more of your menu.
TIP 4: AVOID DESCRIBING IT AS THE “VEGAN” OR “VEGETARIAN” OPTION
We’ve found most people who buy Impossible products are meat eaters. While it is a vegan and vegetarian option, we recommend saying “delicious meat made from plants for meat lovers” because it is more inclusive of all dietary preferences.
For guidance on how to list out Impossible products on your menu, check out our talking points for Front of House staff(opens in a new tab).
Sources:
*Plant-Based Meat State of the Industry report, Impossible Foods Commissioned Data, January 2021
**In a home usage study, 76% of 254 consumers said Impossible Burger satisfied their beef cravings as well as or better than ground beef from cows.