[HN Gopher] Impossible Foods raises $200M in fresh funding
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Impossible Foods raises $200M in fresh funding
Author : randtrain34
Score : 24 points
Date : 2020-09-09 19:48 UTC (3 hours ago)
(HTM) web link (www.reuters.com)
(TXT) w3m dump (www.reuters.com)
| lucasnortj wrote:
| The future
| mrpigeonpants wrote:
| I've been using their meat in things like pastas and tacos and
| it's slightly tastier. The thing that hit me is that we consume
| so much meat in a heavily processed way that it seems silly a
| creature should have to suffer and die to make it. I'm all for
| aged steaks and prosciutto in moderation, but a large portion of
| the meat is consumed in nugget or other forms that don't really
| respect the sacrifice of the animal or pollution created.
| actuator wrote:
| Are there any variants of plant based products which could
| compare to extremely high protein/calorie ratio foods, foods like
| egg white and chicken breast.
|
| The ones I have eaten/seen till now seem quite bad if you look at
| the overall composition. Sure, they have decent amount of protein
| from the legume they come from but the overall composition is not
| good. There are certain variants of Tofu with low fat/carb count
| but I don't know of any other besides supplements.
| bgee wrote:
| Gluten-based food?
| https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheat_gluten_(food)
|
| Edit: judging from this food nutrition label, the
| protein/calorie ratio is quite extreme...[0]
|
| [0]: https://images-na.ssl-images-
| amazon.com/images/I/61D08CfuRzL...
| thelazydogsback wrote:
| I'm not a vegetarian, but also think that killing an animal when
| there's another option should be avoided -- and when I grill the
| IB's, they taste just like meat and even pass the 12 yo test.
| (The key is on the grill - fried up, not as good.) I'd love to
| see the time when we all eat meat only as a special occasion (<=
| once every few weeks) and giving thanks and respect to the
| animal. And the environmental benefits are huge. (Beyond is
| pretty good too, but not quite as beef-like, esp. if not well-
| done.) Now if they make a _bacon_ that 's just as convincing, I
| will definitely be celebrating!
| ArkVark wrote:
| Why not just eat the soy beans directly? This stuff is just
| glorified processed food.
| devmunchies wrote:
| I do. It's how I maximize my gains after a workout.
| thelazydogsback wrote:
| IB's are soy free
| Alupis wrote:
| Probably because a hamburger is tasty?
|
| It's an open secret things like "Impossible Meat" and others
| are really not healthy for you - certainly not a healthier
| alternative than just eating beef. They are higher in calories,
| and contain a lot more oils.
|
| Instead, it's for people who wish not to eat meat for whatever
| reasons (personal choice, religion, etc)... and now they can
| have a tasty alternative at the next Backyard BBQ.
| jariel wrote:
| Cost. As soon as this is materially cheaper than meat it will
| become the 'filler' used on so many burgers, taco places etc.
| and they'll do it without telling customers. Then so many
| people who would otherwise 'not like this stuff' have to
| internalize the fact 'they are already eating it widespread'.
| And even more directly, 40% of consumers are _extremely_
| price sensitive (think dollar store) and will buy the
| cheapest thing making 'real meat' a luxury.
|
| I'm not against meat but I do view 'vegetarian strategic path
| to meat elimination' as entirely economic.
|
| People care more about their money than anything that's how
| it will happen in my view.
|
| That said - if it tasted 'really good' I don't mind at all
| now and again personally and I feel probably most people feel
| that way as well. If I had burgers once every two weeks and
| 1/3 of them were 'good vegan' I would fall into just
| considering it 'another choice in the menu' type of thing,
| which I believe a lot of folks will go for.
| Alupis wrote:
| > As soon as this is materially cheaper than meat it will
| become the 'filler' used on so many burgers, taco places
| etc. and they'll do it without telling customers.
|
| This already exists. Tofu is commonly used in fast food as
| a meat "filler", and very few people notice as it is. Tacos
| at Jack in the Box "May Contain Soy Products", and more.
|
| Making "Impossible Meat" is always going to be more
| expensive than Tofu fillers, simply because it's processed
| to a much higher degree and requires a lot of ingredients.
| redisman wrote:
| I agree that's the only realistic way it will replace meat
| in the short-medium term. Besides - replacing the garbage-
| level-meat (your average cheap hamburger, sausage, nuggets,
| etc.) that provides most of meat-based calories to the
| masses with this would be better for everyone and then you
| can still have your grass-fed steaks and such every now and
| then without having millions of cows polluting the place.
| pvarangot wrote:
| They have lower cholesterol than regular meat and are lower
| in nitrates, and consumption of those is associated with
| behavioral issues.
|
| But yeah the macro-nutrient composition of this meat
| substitute patties is as unhealthy as meat as they are very
| high in fat. The sodium content is also really high so they
| don't help with high blood pressure issues.
| mrpigeonpants wrote:
| Why not just troll individual people directly rather than
| general trolling? You might enjoy it more.
| Cactus2018 wrote:
| Recommended short story _Food of the Gods_ -Arthur C. Clarke
|
| https://books.google.com.au/books?id=hbAqAAAAQBAJ&lpg=PT75&o...
| redorb wrote:
| I feel like this level of funding and therefore expected future
| worth is only possible if laws were passed to limit proper meat
| cultivation..
|
| I have never so far felt the urge to pay more for non-beef, beef.
| garblegarble wrote:
| Great! While I do think plant-based diets are at their most
| delicious and healthy when they don't try to imitate animal
| products, I think it's a reality that many people (who want to
| avoid/minimise animal products) don't want to change the type of
| food they eat, just the components.
|
| I've really been enjoying the Burger King impossible burger -
| they've much better texture, flavour and juicyness compared to
| Burger King's beef patties (not a particularly high bar, mind
| you!). They're definitely at their best prepared with a slice of
| cheese, though. Perhaps Impossible will tackle that soon...
|
| Edited: to note that I was referring to people who didn't want to
| eat meat, not the general public
| jariel wrote:
| "I think it's a reality that people don't want to change the
| type of food they eat, just the components."
|
| Why do you think this is true?
|
| Why would people who enjoy a good burger want to change
| anything about it, and why would someone proclaim that 'most
| people do want to change it'?
| techsupporter wrote:
| > Why would people who enjoy a good burger want to change
| anything about it
|
| If you are eating the burger specifically and solely for the
| beef, perhaps you don't. But for many people "cheeseburger"
| is a unit of food all on its own and the patty inside is more
| of a toppings-and-condiments delivery device. So if there's a
| plant-based substitute that's mildly healthier (Impossible is
| not a "low calorie, low sodium, low fat" substitute by any
| means) and a lot better on the environment, I suspect OP is
| correct. Many people would switch, or at least not mind the
| switch as much.
| jariel wrote:
| Yes, some people would change, there's no doubt.
|
| The point being: why does the author think that 'most'
| people would feel this way?
|
| Because I suspect that the vast majority of people don't.
|
| My suspicion is that the _vast_ majority of people would
| view a 'regular burger' as 'more healthy' than most plant-
| based alternatives (even if they were roughly the same),
| and that all even if things were 'equal' or even slightly
| favourable to the veggie burger for 'health', they would
| prefer meat.
|
| You folks do realize that probably the majority of food in
| the US is probably unhealthy? And that people aren't really
| making their choices based on health so much?
|
| I believe that 'people like us' mostly live in bubbles and
| have a hard time grasping what 'most people' like. Every
| time I visit my 'very normal' family members I am reminded.
|
| If there is a dramatic difference in _price_ I can see
| change, but otherwise, people will want their regular
| burgers.
| techsupporter wrote:
| > I've really been enjoying the Burger King impossible burger -
| they've much better texture, flavour and juicyness compared to
| Burger King's beef patties
|
| I like the Impossible Whopper as well and I'm more than a
| little put out that all of the Burger King stores around me are
| closed to people who do not have a car. Almost all other
| foodservice places have reopened for walk-up takeaway but the
| two Burger King places I can easily get to have stubbornly
| insisted on remaining car-driver-only.
| rglover wrote:
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xs-gocza6t8
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