Impossible Foods to launch plant-based chicken nuggets and may fuel chicken sandwich wars with the vegan option

Impossible Foods is expanding its plant-based meat line with the addition of chicken nuggets. The American company that develops plant-based substitutes for meat products will be releasing its new product via a trade show that will take place next week.

CNBC reported that after the event, a wider launch for another date is set to follow in the fall. With Impossible Foods debuting its “meatless” chicken soon, it will be the latest faux meat manufacturer to jump into plant-based chicken products.

What the new chicken nugget is made of

The newest offering from Impossible Foods, which is chicken nuggets, is made from textured soy protein, and sunflower oil is added to recreate the bite and fatty feel of nuggets. It does not have the heme, an ingredient that is commonly used for plant-based burgers and sausages to give them the “meatiness” texture.

In any case, Dennis Woodside, Impossible Foods president, said that the introduction of their chicken nuggets was not sudden as they have actually been working on it for some time now.

He said that they have been busy with other things, too, as they are currently working on expanding their offerings for market consumption.

Just like how the company first launched its plant-based burger, the faux chicken nuggets will be distributed to restaurants first; then it will eventually be sold in groceries and other retail outlets.

It was said that restaurants are already taking advantage of the new product since customers like to try new menu options.

The new chicken war over faux nuggets

Impossible and its rival, Beyond Meat, were among the first food manufacturers to produce and sell plant-based beef burgers. Both have also succeeded in revolutionizing the “veggie burger,” however, Impossible was late in offering the faux chicken.

Beyond Meat debuted the chicken strips in 2012, but it was discontinued in early 2019. This year, the company relaunched its plant-based chicken category and released chicken tender just last week. For Impossible Foods, its vegan chicken has yet to arrive in the fall of this year.

Meanwhile, Impossible Foods will be facing stiff competition for alternative chicken products since there are already many rivals at this point. Aside from Beyond Meat, Maple Leaf Foods Inc.’s Lightlife, Conagra Brands Inc.’s Gardein, Daring Foods Inc., and Livekindly Collective have their versions of plant-based chicken as well. With this, Bloomberg reported that this could further trigger the chicken sandwich wars, and this time, the fight is about the vegan option.

“We’re about to see the same competitive antics happen with chicken nuggets,” managing director of Vigor, a restaurant marketing firm, Joseph Szala said. “A plant-based alternative could up the ante.”