Impossible Burger

[two70]

It's no more dishonest than turkey bacon or beef pepperoni.

People have different reasons to be vegetarian. If you don't believe in killing animals or your religion prohibits certain foods but still want to eat a cheeseburger, here you go. The Filet-o-fish exists because Catholics exist. It's a fish based burger substitute, giving people who could not eat a burger on certain days an option to spend money on a different sandwich instead. Do you sit around and wonder why people eat fish but won't eat beef on a given day and why they have to consume it in a burger-esque setting? Probably not. What's it to you what a vegan eats or doesn't eat? Do we really need to tribalize based on menu choice now?

Yes, it actually is. No one eats turkey bacon or beef pepperoni because they fundamentally disagree with eating meat.

If you don't believe in killing animals but want you're food to emulate dead animals, you have a major flaw/disconnect in your way of thinking. If your religion prohibits certain foods, then is seeking imitations of those forbidden foods really in keeping with the religion? I can't imagine that it is in most religions. I am a Catholic and no, a fish sandwich is not a burger substitute, it is a convenient, handy way to eat fish. Just like any other sandwich is convenient, handy way to eat whatever is contained between the bread. No, I don't sit around wondering that because I know the reason. Frankly, I could sit around and wonder why you insist on repeatedly trying to interject religion into a conversation about vegans and the fake meat marketed almost exclusively to them but I'm pretty sure I already know. A vegan is free to eat whatever they want and to hold and express whatever opinion on the subject they want. However, I'm equally free to express my opinion on it as well. The real question is who are you are to tell me or anyone else we can't express our opinion on the topic? Personally, I think we need more conversation and fewer attempts to stop those from sharing opposing views. I'll leave the silly trope of tribalism as a bogeyman for another thread.

 

[COOPADUP]

Okay now I am really craving a grilled hamburger with everything on it.

 

[J Galt]

Okay now I am really craving a grilled hamburger with everything on it.

If you can't do home made, then 5 guys and 317 Burger are good alternates.

 

[DeadeyeChrista'sdad]

I accidentally ordered an impossible burger at BK awhile back. I had to go home and wash my mouth out. It made me feel dirty.

Seriously, I pretty much share BBI's live and let live view on the subject. Except for turkey bacon. That stuff is the devil!

 

[Leadeye]

Having never seen the fake stuff, how does it compare cost wise to the real thing? I'm thinking burger not steak.

 

[BE Mike]

McDonald's has their "McPlant" and KFC has their "Beyond Fried Chicken Nuggets". I expect that if they sell and are profitable, they will become a permanent thing. I would think that the companies pay a lot less for the plant based foods, charge the same as the real meat varieties and rake in the extra dough.

 

[J Galt]

It's no more dishonest than turkey bacon or beef pepperoni.

People have different reasons to be vegetarian. If you don't believe in killing animals or your religion prohibits certain foods but still want to eat a cheeseburger, here you go. The Filet-o-fish exists because Catholics exist. It's a fish based burger substitute, giving people who could not eat a burger on certain days an option to spend money on a different sandwich instead. Do you sit around and wonder why people eat fish but won't eat beef on a given day and why they have to consume it in a burger-esque setting? Probably not. What's it to you what a vegan eats or doesn't eat? Do we really need to tribalize based on menu choice now?

It's dishonest. Turkey bacon and beef pepperoni clearly state it is something other than the expected meat. Impossible (beyond) burger is trying to redefine what a burger is and make it acceptable. Much like Lia Thomas / Will Thomas is being called a woman and allowed to compete against women crushing women's records. Or how Fallon Fox / Boyd Burton is being referred to, by some, as a women and cheered while publicly beating women.

I actually have, transiently, wondered why eating fish is ok but not beef on certain days; the specific religious reason. I have also transiently wondered why certain types of food are associated with specific times of day by convention (e.g. pancakes and crepes). Note, transiently, not "sit around and wonder".

Tribalize? My, that escalated quickly. If you actually refrain from reading into the question and projecting your biases and micro-aggressions into the post you would see that it is an attempt to decrease "tribalism". #WhitePriviledge [Did you see what I did there ]

Decreasing tribalism occurs, in one way, by discussing differences and living alongside others with differences. Nowhere in the OP is there a criticism of eating a vegetable patty (aka impossible burger). There is just honest curiosity why this would be marketed. There have been some really good answers that provided me with perspective I had not considered previously.

 

[yeti rider]

Impossible Whoppers are actually pretty damn good. The second time I ordered one, I added bacon, which nearly broke the girl at the drive thru.

We have a girl that works at our local bbq/smokehouse. I took a vendor one day for lunch, when said vendor asked her what was good, she replied that she didn't eat meat. It's fun to watch someone's head explode.

 

[Ingomike]

Who cares? If you want to eat it, eat it. If you don't, don't. Be happy for the observant Hindus and orthodox Jews who can now see what all the fuss is about with cheeseburgers.

Tho OP has an interesting question, one I have also had and looked into some. As usual I do not see one clear cut answer, but rather a combination of answers seem to be the answer. I couldn’t care less what others eat.

The three answers I found believable are profit, vegan market to fill, and global control.

The one that interested me most was global control. After years of demonizing meat consumption in their meetings of the elites, they now have an option to push on the corporate food industry. It struck me as odd that virtually all the fast food simultaneously offered this. No competitor seemed to be out front, it just happened overnight and the commercials were everywhere. That is not normal. Normal is competitor A offers a better mousetrap and competitor B steps up to beat that.

 

[Lpherr]

I can't wait for the thread for synthetic beef.

Who will grab the ball and punt?

 

[Ingomike]

I can't wait for the thread for synthetic beef.

Who will grab the ball and punt?

Isn’t this about synthetic beef?

 

[snorko]

I work with someone who is (medically confirmed) allergic to all mammal meat. The Horror.

 

[printcraft]

Hey, could be worse...

https://www.livescience.com/14669-poop-meat-safety.html

You're $hiting me, right?

 

[Timjoebillybob]

Having never seen the fake stuff, how does it compare cost wise to the real thing? I'm thinking burger not steak.

More expensive in general. Impssible burger at my local Kroger costs more than ground sirloin.

McDonald's has their "McPlant" and KFC has their "Beyond Fried Chicken Nuggets". I expect that if they sell and are profitable, they will become a permanent thing. I would think that the companies pay a lot less for the plant based foods, charge the same as the real meat varieties and rake in the extra dough.

See above.

The one that interested me most was global control. After years of demonizing meat consumption in their meetings of the elites, they now have an option to push on the corporate food industry. It struck me as odd that virtually all the fast food simultaneously offered this. No competitor seemed to be out front, it just happened overnight and the commercials were everywhere. That is not normal. Normal is competitor A offers a better mousetrap and competitor B steps up to beat that.

In this case impossible burger is competitor B. There have been quite a few different plant based meat substitutes around, this is the closest to "real beef" by a large margin. They also have a good marketing dept and joined up with OSI group a pretty good sized food service product distributor.

I work with someone who is (medically confirmed) allergic to all mammal meat. The Horror.

My wife is a preschool teacher, she had a student that was allergic to gluten, beef, and eggs. Her family was a large very Italian family. I heard the mother cried when talking about the gluten, no pasta.

I told my wife if that ever happened to me, please just shoot me and put me out of my misery.

 

[Lpherr]

Isn’t this about synthetic beef?

No, plants are not synthetic.
They are photosynthetic though, but that's another subject.

They are growing beef in a lab in petri dishes.

 

[Ingomike]

No, plants are not synthetic.
They are photosynthetic though, but that's another subject.

They are growing beef in a lab in petri dishes.

Got it…

 

[Leo]

I eat vegetables. real vegetables. and fruit, real fruit. The stuff that has been growing in dirt since creation. The stuff that goes bad in a short time if you do not eat it. The stuff you check for insects when you wash the dirt off. I make every effort not to eat factory generated "food" that is supposed to be the same or better. I have exactly zero trust of monsanto or any other corporation that is genetically modifying food "for my good". between corporate greed and scientific error, I have no faith in them.

Vegetables make a great side dish for a properly prepared piece of meat. Slabs of animal flesh, cut from an animal that eats and leaves feces where it stands I don't eat factory generated meat for at least twice the reasons I don't eat artificial "fruits" and "vegetables".

If someone does not have that choice due to health conditions or economics, I understand and hope they do well. As long as I have a choice, no factory generated meat for me.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

It's dishonest. Turkey bacon and beef pepperoni clearly state it is something other than the expected meat. Impossible (beyond) burger is trying to redefine what a burger is and make it acceptable. Much like Lia Thomas / Will Thomas is being called a woman and allowed to compete against women crushing women's records.

Yes, obviously deceptive marketing. Nobody would expect it's actually a plant based food based on that marketing.

Yes, tribalism. Balkanization if you prefer. Nobody is making you eat it and linking it to trans/identity politics just shows that to be the case. Worried about what other people eat and then assigning them some value based on that is ridiculous no matter which way it's aimed, just another way to divide people.

 

[BE Mike]

More expensive in general. Impssible burger at my local Kroger costs more than ground sirloin.

See above.

In this case impossible burger is competitor B. There have been quite a few different plant based meat substitutes around, this is the closest to "real beef" by a large margin. They also have a good marketing dept and joined up with OSI group a pretty good sized food service product distributor.


My wife is a preschool teacher, she had a student that was allergic to gluten, beef, and eggs. Her family was a large very Italian family. I heard the mother cried when talking about the gluten, no pasta.

I told my wife if that ever happened to me, please just shoot me and put me out of my misery.

I stand corrected. I suppose the companies are counting on plant based products coming down in price as popularity increases. I tried one of the Impossible Burgers from Burger King. It was ok, but if memory serves me correctly, it wasn't any "healthier" than the beef variety.

 

[Jaybird1980]

Hey, could be worse...

https://www.livescience.com/14669-poop-meat-safety.html

You're $hiting me, right?

I'm gonna make a fortune.