Impossible Foods begins selling its meatless sausage to restaurants nationwide

Impossible Foods announced Monday that its meatless sausage will now be sold to restaurants nationwide. 

The Impossible Sausage is already available at U.S. locations of Restaurant Brands International’s Burger King and Starbucks, but now other chains and independent restaurant owners can also put the meat-free sausage on their menus. 

Impossible’s rival Beyond Meat already sells its own meatless sausage in grocery stores and at restaurants, including Dunkin’. Other food companies, like Kellogg, also sell their own sausage meat alternative.

Impossible’s meatless sausage, which debuted in January, is its first new product since Impossible launched the Impossible Burger.

The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated consumers’ purchase of plant-based meats. In the 16-week period ended June 20, retail sales of fresh meat alternatives had soared 218{3c4481f38fc19dde56b7b1f4329b509c88239ba5565146922180ec5012de023f} compared to the year-ago period, according to Nielsen data.

The trend has fueled interest in the sector. Shares of Beyond Meat were down 8{3c4481f38fc19dde56b7b1f4329b509c88239ba5565146922180ec5012de023f} in afternoon trading Monday after Barclays cut its rating. The stock, which has a market value of $8.03 billion, is up 70{3c4481f38fc19dde56b7b1f4329b509c88239ba5565146922180ec5012de023f} so far this year. 

Impossible is privately held.