Cargill to Launch Vegan Burger to Challenge Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods 

In April, food giant Cargill Inc.—a leading supplier of feed for the animal agriculture industry—will debut plant-based meat patties and ground meat in supermarkets and through foodservice outlets. “We’ve created some of the best tasting products available in the plant-based category today,” said Elizabeth Gutschenritter, managing director of Cargill’s alternative protein team. “We’ve combined our deep knowledge of plant proteins with our expertise in research and development, product development, and production to deliver products consumers will love.” Cargill formulated the new plant-based products with soy and pea protein, ingredients found in Impossible Burgers and Beyond Burgers, respectively, in order to compete with both. In 2017, Cargill sold its last two cattle feeding operations to Nebraska-based ethanol fuel producer Green Plains Inc. for $36.7 million to focus on developing alternative proteins. “Cargill has a strong history of providing high-quality protein products to customers,” Gutschenritter said. “Producing plant-based products across our global supply chain is the logical next step to expanding our ability to meet consumer needs and bring new value to this category.” In addition to Cargill, other companies involved in animal agriculture have recently launched vegan meat products, including Smithfield Foods’ Pure Farmland brand and Hormel’s Happy Little Plants brand.