Burger King introduces meat-free Impossible Whopper

Impossible Foods is on a mission to reduce the environmental impact of the meat industry through plant-sourced alternatives, and it has just gained a powerful new ally. Global fast food giant Burger King has announced the introduction of the Impossible Whopper at selected stores, offering customers a decidedly greener version of its most iconic hamburger.

The meatless patties of Impossible Foods have won some fans over the past few years, with its burgers sold in different variations in thousands of restaurants across the US, perhaps most notably in the form of the Impossible Slider at Whitecastle.

The company says its patties require 75 percent less water, 95 percent less land and produce 87 less greenhouse gases than traditional beef patties. It achieves this by sourcing a key molecule called heme from the root modules of soy plants rather than animal muscle, which is then treated and mixed with meat substitutes to produce a beef-like patty with a bloody residue.

But Burger King is surely its biggest coup yet and another step into the mainstream for meatless burgers. The company is introducing the Impossible Whopper initially at 59 restaurants in and around St Louis.

According to the New York Times, in the taste testing of the Impossible Whopper so far, customers and employees have struggled to tell the difference, and the company hopes to expand to every branch in the country if everything goes to plan.

You can check out the promo video below.

Source: New York Times/New Atlas.