Impossible Foods announced a new health certification label added to its Lite Ground Beef.
The certification, granted by the American Diabetes Association, is essentially an approved checklist for certain products to connote whether or not they are suitable for diabetes management.
Impossible said this satisfaction for its Lite Ground Beef product took months and involved a “rigorous” process.
The plant-based pioneer, which offers products from Corn Dogs, to alternative Hot Dogs and nuggets, mostly steered clear of messaging around the environmental impact and toward raising awareness of its good tasting product.
Unlike other plant-based companies, Impossible also steered away from placing too much emphasis on the health benefits of its products compared to traditional protein.
In a previous interview with Food Dive, CEO Peter McGuinness told Food Dive his main focus was to get Impossible’s name and products out to more consumers and to have more fun with the brand.
“You don’t get a second chance at making a first impression,” he said, and that is done through taste and the eating experience.
The certification with the ADA, is a move to “meet consumers where they are,” which is a demand for healthier food, said McGuinness in a statement.
“While we’re doubling down on efforts to champion the craveability of our products, we remain really proud of our nutrition story, especially with our more health-forward products like Impossible Lite Beef,” said Sherene Jagla, chief demand officer at Impossible in a statement to Food Dive.
To aid in consumer education around the healthfulness of its products including Impossible Lite Beef, the company also developed a new “Health Hub” featuring verified health and nutrition information about its products.
The virtual destination will have recipes, an ingredient glossary and deep-dives on nuanced topics like soy and fiber, which aim to “debunk false nutritional claims about meat from plants, as well as to offer consumers a closer look at the nutritional facts and ingredients of Impossible products,” the company said.
Impossible recently rebranded, debuting its bright red packaging and new logo at Natural Products Expo West in March.
The company’s refreshed design was meant to attract more meat lovers to its burgers, sausages and chicken products, in hopes of expanding its customer base.
Although the ADA’s seal of approval on its Lite Ground Beef product could be considered a win in touting health benefits, some of the company’s other products may not align with the same messaging.
Whole Foods Market recently started selling Impossible’s chicken products only, as its beef products contain an ingredient banned by the grocer. Soy leghemoglobin is a novel food ingredient that provides meat-like flavor and aroma to plant-derived food products and one of the main ingredients in Impossible’s beef products. It’s also on Whole Foods’ banned ingredient list under its Ingredient Quality Standard, which aims to make consumers feel “confident” in food they buy, it said.
Beyond Meat, a competitor of Impossible Foods and what McGuinness says is the only other “true meat alternative on the market,” has also hammered down its messaging surrounding health recently.
In February, the company debuted a fourth generation of its plant-based beef, with more “nutrient dense ingredients.”
The launch, which was supposed to appeal to more health conscious consumers and better position Beyond for growth, has so far failed to do so.
For several years now, the company has faced declining sales and reported its ninth straight quarter of year-over-year revenue declines for the second period ending June 29. Beyond Meat also recently engaged with a group of bondholders to initiate discussions about a balance-sheet restructuring.
“Clean eating is a top driver to the plant-based meat category, and Beyond Meat is delivering on that consumer demand through our health-focused innovation strategy, a key differentiator for us in the category,” a Beyond Meat spokesperson said to Food Dive in an emailed statement.
The company said that though it can’t comment on anything specific yet, it’s preparing for new launches both in the U.S. and internationally in the coming year.
Is health focused enough?
It may be time for plant based companies to take an entirely new approach to its messaging — besides that of environmental impact and health benefits, according to managing director of BTIG and food distributions analyst Peter Saleh.
“Changing consumer perceptions is really, really difficult. And it definitely will take a long time if it’s even possible to. Even if you do change consumer perception of the health of a product, is that enough to drive meaningful revenue and volume? I’m not convinced of that,” said Saleh in an interview with Food Dive.
Beyond health benefits, Saleh said taste and texture may still be a defining characteristic and one that brands still need to work out.
“Some organizations talk about all these medical conferences and stuff of that nature, that would give them accreditation that they’re healthier. But I think that’s gonna take a long time to hammer that message on, whereas if you get the taste right, the consumer doesn’t need to be hit with that message over and over again.”
