A Burger Previously Banned From Grocery Stores Is Making A Surprising Comeback

Get ready to grab your reusable bags and sprint to your nearest grocery because the exclusive Impossible Burger is finally coming to store shelves. If there’s anything to celebrate in the disaster year that’s been 2019, it would have to be the rise in popularity in the fake meat industry. And frankly, it’s about damn time we had equally-affordable, plant-based selections next to all of the regular meat options.

The two competitors at the top of the game lately have been Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods (who are behind the Impossible Burger). And until now, the only strong competitor against real meat that we’ve been able to buy at the grocery store are products from Beyond Meat. I actually just picked up two Beyond Burger patties from the store this weekend. I’ve never tried their burgers before, and I’m very curious to cook these up and see what they’re about.

In case some of you are unfamiliar with what the Impossible Burger is and why it’s getting so much hype…

This is a real burger:

And this is the Impossible Burger.

I mean…

Where’s the difference? That looks exactly like ground beef!

Science did not come to mess around in 2019, ya’ll.

Until now, the only way to get your hands on an Impossible Burger was by ordering them from a few select restaurant chains.

Back on April 1st (surprisingly, this was not an April Fool’s Day joke), Burger King had announced a partnership with Impossible Foods, stating that they’d be selling a vegetarian version of the classic Burger King Whopper at a select few locations.

On August 8th, all U.S. locations will be selling the Impossible Whopper.

I might actually have to visit a Burger King for the first time in probably 10 years. Smart move, Burger King. Smart. Move.

Impossible burger gets me to go to burger king for the first time in like 15 years 😂

Verdict: tastes like a fast food burger WOWIEEEEE pic.twitter.com/JKZoEjjkja

— Curie (@mercuriemoth) July 30, 2019

McDonald’s has yet to make any statement about adopting a plant-based meat option to its menu.

Which do you think they would go for?

Gizmodo reports the company is allowed to start selling their Impossible Burger directly to customers on September 4th — much to the dismay of its rival competitor Beyond Meat.

The FDA finally ruled the ingredient “soy leghemoglobin” safe for consumption. This acts as the burger’s key blood-simulating ingredient that really gives it the true burger taste and feel.

Unfortunately, we don’t have an official grocery store release date, but some reports are saying sometime this upcoming fall.

So, what have the reviews been of the Impossible Burger?

Impossible burger. Verdict: really effing good pic.twitter.com/wqbUBVDUMa

— Chrome enjoying the 🐍🐙empire (@chromiekins) July 26, 2019

Well, you heard it here first, folks. The results of the Impossible Burger are in, and it’s “really effin’ good.”

Let’s see how our competitor, the Beyond Burger, holds up to the competition. Adam?

Just tried to grill some @BeyondMeat burgers. That shit is literally impossible. What the fuck? 🤣 pic.twitter.com/3T9xzMx07B

— Adam E. Smith (@theadamesmith) July 31, 2019

Not so well, it seems. Better luck next time!

But also, let me say that putting that burger directly on the grates of the grill was your first mistake. Sear that baby up in a pan or cast-iron skillet, and then you won’t lose all of the juices! All of the best chefs do it that way.

There hasn’t been any word on how much the Impossible Burger will cost at grocery stores.

If they want to stay in strong competition with Beyond Meat, you can probably expect to find the Impossible Burger selling for around $6. That’s how much I picked up two Beyond Burger patties for from my local Ralphs grocery store.

What would be an even smarter move is if they could be bought for a price similar to that of regular ground beef, which is what people typically use when making their own burgers at home.

The hopes with this new introduction of fake meat are that meat-eaters might be swayed to make the switch from animal products and incorporate more plant-based options in their diet.

Listen here, meat-eaters!

If I had to pick a last meal it would be the impossible burger at @Wahlburgers #RealTalk pic.twitter.com/NV8kfJYfah

— Spring Bunnell (@OrrSpring) July 25, 2019

That is a bold claim, my friend.

I’m hoping this big change in our grocery stores will open up conversations between meat-eaters and plant-based people.

Today I'm one of those what the fuck is this that tastes like beef but not. The Toko Impossible Burger from TBC Tampines Hub.

The texture is impeccable. Like you know it's not beef, but it's the doubt that comes in when you tongue and chew it. pic.twitter.com/lYKIhGWcTm

— in the name of the love (dm29) ♿🚷✏️ (@judacris) July 28, 2019

Impossible Foods hasn’t been a stranger to some scandals in the past, though. According to Eater, back in March of 2019, Impossible Foods called for a voluntary recall of its bulk-order product after a California restaurant found plastic inside the plant-based meat.

It was the first time the company had issued a recall for its product. And as they continue to grow in the coming years, its inevitable we’ll see more recalls from them — though we do hope that isn’t the case.

Are you excited to see more plant-based alternatives coming to places like grocery stores and popular chain restaurants? Let us know!