This article was taken from the March 2016 issue of Wired magazine. Be the first to read Wired's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by subscribing online.
Impossible Foods is taking the animal out of the meat industry. In its Californian laboratory, vegetables - beans, grains and greens - are broken down into their basic components such as proteins, fats and vitamins. Then they are re-combined to achieve comparable flavours and textures to flesh, down to a convincing plant-based "blood" which is derived from the molecule found in haemoglobin and which gives blood its distinctive colour.
The Redwood City startup has attracted significant investment totalling $183 million, including a series D round of $108 million (£120m) in October 2015 led by UBS and joined by Bill Gates and Horizons Ventures' Li Ka-shing. According to some reports, Google made a rejected bid to acquire Impossible Foods last year, valuing the company at $200 million to $300 million.
The startup has set "hardcore beef lovers" as its target market and says it will launch its first meat-free "impossible hamburger" in 2016. It claims that the product will have the benefits of a plant-based foodstuff - no cholesterol, antibiotics or hormones - but will possess the umami-rich taste of meat because of the proteins and nutrients that it has identified.
Founder Patrick Brown says his company is taking food "from the landline to the iPhone" era. WIRED's editor tasted a prototype last November. His verdict? "Wow, that tastes like a burger."
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
