Impossible Burger: Now At A Supermarket Near You

PACIFIC BEACH, CA — Vegans, vegetarians and even meat-eaters have abundant praise for "The Impossible Burger," a plant-based "meat," that is earning raves from diners and is on many restaurants' menus, including at Burger King, Red Robin and Cheesecake Factory. But until now, the product was never available for shoppers' purchases at supermarkets.

Beginning Friday, however, all Gelson’s Markets in Southern California, including in Pacific Beach in San Diego, will be the first stores to debut the item, that reportedly rivals ground beef from cows and is heralded for its health benefits — with a 4-ounce Impossible Burger- serving ringing in at 0 mg. cholesterol, 14 grams of total fat, 8 grams of saturated fat and 240 calories, according to company officials.

“Three years ago we introduced plant-based meat to top chefs in America’s most important restaurants. They consistently told us that the Impossible Burger blew them away,” said Impossible Foods’ CEO and founder Dr. Patrick O. Brown. “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 company, launched in 2011 in the Silicon Valley by Brown, a Stanford University biochemistry professor and former pediatrician, the firm melds science and technology to make its "meat" from plants, with the goal of restoring natural ecosystems and eliminating the need for animals in the food chain by 2035, company officials said.

Gelson’s, a grocery chain founded in 1951 and renown for its unusually loyal customer base at its 27 stores in Southern California, often lands at the forefront of food trends. The Impossible Burger launch was a perfect match for for the business, management said.

The local Gelson's markets are at 7660 El Camino Real in the La Costa/Carlsbad area, at 2707 Via De La Valle in Del Mar and in Pacific Beach at 730 Turquoise St., San Diego.

“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 BBQ,” said Gelson president Rob McDougall. “We’ll also be unveiling delicious new recipes featuring Impossible in Gelson’s Kitchen and offering an Impossible Burger at our Wine & Tapas bars. We’re excited to bring another important world-wide, first-to-market product to our customers, who love trying innovative, delicious food.”

At the International Consumer Electronics Show in January 2019, Impossible Foods launched the award-winning and “shockingly good” Impossible Burger 2.0, according to the business. As a nod to its tastiness, The Impossible Burger won the show’s top prizes.

Impossible Burger plans expanding its retail presence at grocery stores in key regions nationwide, including on the East Coast, officials said.

Impossible Burger does face a rival: Beyond Burger from Beyond Meat. Beyond Meat burgers are in grocery stores nationally, as well as in such restaurants as Carls Jr, TGI Fridays and Del Taco. Read more on the competition here.

Beginning in October, shoppers can score free samples of the Impossible Burger and participate in homestyle cooking demos at select Gelson’s outlets. For details, visit ImpossibleFoods.com/ Recipes. Plus browse the growing collection of Impossible recipes — including a BBQ burger to lasagna, chili, meatloaf, dumplings and more. Cooks also can share favorite recipes and photos by tagging #CookImpossible.

Gelson's locations throughout Southern California can be found here.

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