Impossible Foods is making its long-awaited debut in UK supermarkets in collaboration with Tesco this week. They will not, for the moment, feature its signature heme protein, which still awaits regulatory approval in the UK and the EU.
The firm, which launched in the UK foodservice market in 2022 and made its debut in select restaurants and retailers in the Netherlands earlier this year, is introducing four products to freezer cabinets in selected Tesco stores: burger patties, beef kofta, smoky chipotle chicken pieces and spicy chicken fries.
They do not contain its ‘heme’ ingredient made from genetically engineered yeast, which imparts a meaty flavor and color to the beef and pork products it sells in the US market and was originally seen as a key differentiator in the alt-meat market.
An Impossible Foods spokesperson told us: “These products are some of our first to be produced at our new co-manufacturing facility in the Netherlands, demonstrating our investment in the broader European market.”
The regulatory pathway in the UK and EU
Regarding heme, added the spokesperson, “We’re continuing the process for regulatory approval in the UK though the process itself has changed somewhat. Earlier this year, the UK and EU agreed to pursue a new Sanitary and Phyto Sanitary (SPS) agreement, which would simplify trade and include the UK’s acceptance of all EU approvals of food additives.
“Therefore, the concurrent UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) approval process we were engaged in has been suspended. We’re pleased with this development and look forward to continuing the regulatory approval process in the EU, which would automatically grant approval in the UK under the proposed agreement.”
As far as EU approval goes, he said, “We’re still awaiting the formal green light. We remain confident they will arrive at conclusions similar to those of regulators in the US, Singapore, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, where our products have received all necessary approvals to be sold.”
In the meantime, he added, “We’ve deployed our unparalleled expertise in plant-based recipe development to create an all-new patty for the UK and Europe that leverages methods and ingredients other than heme to achieve the mouthwateringly meaty taste that consumers expect from our brand.”
According to the company, UK sales “have more than doubled in the last twelve months and we’re on menu at popular restaurants like Greene King, Brew Dog, Gordon Ramsay Street Burger, Meatliquor, and Punch Taverns.”
Building a global footprint
Founded by Stanford biochemist Dr Pat Brown in 2011, Impossible Foods entered the US foodservice market in 2016, struck a high-profile deal with Burger King, and made an aggressive push into retail in 2020. It products are now sold in stores and foodservice locations across the US, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, the United Arab Emirates, the UK and the Netherlands.
As a private company, Impossible Foods has not faced the same level of public scrutiny as beleaguered rival Beyond Meat. But given the jaw-dropping sums (almost $2 billion) pumped into the startup over the past 15 years, the pressure to deliver a return for investors is intense.
The firm, which was led by former Chobani exec Peter McGuinness from April 2022 until January 2026, is now run by chief legal and operating officer Jason Gao, chief demand officer Meredith Madden, and chief supply officer Robert Haas.
Industry sources we spoke to earlier this year said McGuinness had made significant strides to move Impossible Foods from a foodtech company into a tech-enabled CPG company. R&D projects on seafood, and eggs, and milk were put on the backburner to focus on expanding options in beef, chicken and pork; the firm introduced new bold red packaging, and focused messaging on taste and health rather than displacing animal agriculture.
However, it has faced increasing headwinds with weakening category sales at retail, negative media and investor sentiment, and inflationary pressures over the past couple of years.
One alt protein industry source told us: “I think he did a great job at trying to steer the ship in arguably a very difficult market. But recall Impossible raised tons of capital like Beyond at nose bleed valuations, none of which will ever hold water as a public company [that once exposed to public-market scrutiny, valuations would compress sharply].”
Another source told us: “No one is doing well in this category, or not well enough to make ends meet with the massive expectations and expense structure design to be a billions of dollars company.”
Further reading:
Peter McGuinness stepping down as CEO at Impossible Foods
Beyond Meat leans into Europe, Canada, as US sales continue to slide
