Cargill Inc announced on Monday that it will launch a plant-based burger patty in April in what is believed to be a challenge to alternative meat giant Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods.
According to Reuters, Cargill seeks to sell its alternative meat products, including ground plant-based meat in restaurants, cafeterias, and grocery shops, further fueling talks about another rival to stand in between the two meat substitute giants.
The goal is to present potential buyers and consumers with options in both soy and pea formulations. The products can then be used in various dishes such as spaghetti sauce, tacos, and more.
It is worth noting that while Impossible Foods has a particular focus on soy protein and Beyond Meat's products are mainly from pea protein, Cargill is looking to compete in the two categories.
Managing director of Cargill's substitute protein team Elizabeth Gutschenritter said the company believes it is "uniquely positioned to be very effective and efficient in the supply chain."
Other companies like Tyson Foods and WH Group's Smithfield Foods also sell plant-based items but the biggest competitors in the fake meat circle are Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat.
With Cargill's entry, industry analysts believe there is now more proof that consumers are starting to lean on meat substitutes instead of real meat products following the African swine fever (ASF) crisis that Asian countries faced over the past year.
Meanwhile, the alternative meat industry recently faced some challenges besides competition as some critics revealed that plant-based meat products are not as healthy as consumers are made to believe.
According to CNBC, the Center for Consumer Freedom spent on a Super Bowl ad that was aired in Washington, D.C. wherein the ad alleged that substitute meat products contain a chemical laxative called methylcellulose.
Center of Consumer Freedom CEO Richard Berman is known for his strong dislike for plant-based products. He has been calling out synthetic meat producers over the past months, stating that claims about the substitutes being healthier are untrue.
Methylcellulose is a powder used widely by many food companies and it is also listed as one of the ingredients in products released by Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat. However, some health experts have also debunked the statement that the use of methylcellulose can pose risks to the human body.
A former chief at the U.S. Department of Agriculture has also previously noted that it cannot be verified if fake meat products are healthier than real meat due to the "lack of nutrition science" in the processes involved in developing the products.
It is unclear whether Cargill is using methylcellulose in its products set for launch.
