Impossible Burgers Make Retail Debut at Gelson’s in Southern California

Tomorrow, supermarket Gelson’s Markets will be the first retailer to sell the plant-based Impossible Burger at all of its 27 store locations in Southern California, which includes the San Diego, Los Angeles, and Ventura County regions. Impossible Foods’ first launched its now popular burger at upscale eateries in 2016 before expanding to more than 17,000 restaurants, including fast-food chains Burger King, White Castle, and Red Robin. “Three years ago we introduced plant-based meat to top chefs in America’s most important restaurants, and they consistently told us that the Impossible Burger blew them away,” Impossible Foods CEO and Founder Patrick O. Brown said. “We can’t wait for home cooks to experience the magic—whether using Impossible Burger in their family favorites or inventing new recipes that go viral.” 

The Impossible Burger will be sold in a 12-ounce package for $8.99 and Gelson’s is limiting purchases to 10 packages per person per visit. “People who shop at Gelson’s know and appreciate great food, and the Impossible Burger is going to become a go-to favorite in home-cooked meals, from dim sum to barbecue,” Gelson’s President and CEO Rob McDougall said. Gelson’s will also add recipes that feature the plant-based meat on its Gelson’s Kitchen catering menu and add the Impossible Burger to its Wine & Tapas bar. “We’re excited to bring another important world-wide first-to-market product to our customers, who love trying innovative, delicious food,” McDougall said. 

To showcase the product’s versatility—which can be cooked on a flat top, barbecue grill, frying pan, or Instant pot and used in recipes such as chili, burgers, meatballs, and stews—Impossible Foods is sponsoring a cooking show-style VIP event tonight with model Chrissy Teigen’s mother, cookbook author, and celebrity chef Vilailuck “Pepper Thai” Teigen, who will pay homage to the world’s most influential home chefs: grandmothers. Tomorrow, Impossible Foods will hold its official launch event, “Grandma’s House,” at the Westfield Century City mall in Los Angeles where a diverse group of grandmothers will prepare free samples of its plant-based meat. Later this month, Impossible Foods will announce details about its East Coast retail debut and aims to make the Impossible Burger available in additional regions by early 2020.