Starting this October, home cooks will be able to purchase the plant-based beef alternative, Impossible Foods, directly from the retail market in Hong Kong. This move comes after the California-based startup initially pivoted their business model in August, allowing their restaurant partners to resell their plant-based beef inventory to customers.
In Hong Kong, the plant-based food scene is growing, with many new vegan bites and eateries popping up in the city including Hong Kong's first plant-based pâtisserie in September, and Ovolo Hotels F&B facilities going completely vegetarian. Fast-food giant McDonald's has also recently jumped on the bandwagon with the launch of their OmniPork Luncheon series. With this upward trend, Hongkongers seem to be switching to healthier and sustainable food options which includes sampling various meat alternatives.
Impossible Lettuce Cup with minced beef
This year, Impossible Foods tweaked their business model due to the changing demand of consumers during the height of the pandemic, making their products readily available for customers cooking at home. Its first direct-to-consumer website in the U.S. launched earlier in June, allowing bulk-sized purchases of the meat alternative readily available for delivery.
Impossible Beef will retail in Hong Kong at $89.90 per 340g package at approximately 100 ParknShop branches across the city, including its subsidiary brands Fusion, Taste, Food Le Parc, and Great Food Hall. Consumers can also order the plant-based alternative for delivery from the ParknShop website. Along with the Hong Kong market this month, Singapore will also roll out the product in nearly 100 outlets of FairPrice and will be available for online orders via retailer RedMart.
Impossible Mapo Tofu
Impossible Beef is kosher, halal, and gluten-free certified. A four-ounce serving of Impossible Beef contains 19g of protein, 4g of total fat, 8g of saturated fat, has zero mg of cholesterol, and holds only 240 calories. Home cooks who are looking to be kinder to the planet or simply want to eat healthier can use the plant-based meat as an alternative for all ground beef recipes, including stews, chilli, sauces, braises, minces, meatballs, meat pies, or any other beefy menu item. For cooking inspiration, Impossible has also launched a book called Impossible: The Cookbook featuring 40 recipes from chefs and personalities that includes Little Bao's May Chow, which is currently available at Kinokuniya, Amazon.com, and Book Depository. Recipes include Vietnamese Imperial Rolls, Pan-Fried Chive Dumplings, and Jamaican Patties with Calypso Sauce, along with mains such as Thai Larb with Fresh Herbs, Turkish-Spiced Sandwiches with Garlic Sauce, and Sichuan Mapo Tofu.
So, if you're headed to the grocery this week, and looking for a healthier purchase, make sure to hit the frozen food aisle and put these faux meat patties in your cart.