Today, Impossible Foods has announced its newest endeavor: the Impossible Ranch. The “first-of-its-kind” project in the plant-based industry is located on a 70-acre former cattle ranch in South Carolina.
The land will be repurposed to cultivate crops essential to Impossible Foods’ product range and a rescue initiative that provides a sanctuary for rescued cattle. Partnering with the family that has tended the land for generations, Impossible Foods seeks to honor the property’s heritage while promoting a renewed focus on sustainable agriculture.
“Impossible Ranch is a living and breathing educational resource”
Impossible Ranch is part of the company’s recently revamped brand identity and food-centric approach, which aims to present Impossible products as not only environmentally friendly but also akin to traditional meat in texture and taste. As part of this rebrand, the company recently transitioned its packaging to a bold red color after numerous studies and reports linked the color red with flavor and taste.
Demystifying meat from plants
The initiative also aligns with Impossible’s broader effort to address consumer concerns and combat misinformation surrounding plant-based meats. Peter McGuiness, CEO of Impossible Foods, recently cited the importance of rebranding the plant-based industry as a whole at the Adweek X conference and the need for more efforts in education and transparency. He commented, “There’s a massive amount of myths about plant-based products and the process.”
Leslie Sims, chief marketing and creative officer at Impossible Foods, explains, “As a leader of the plant-based category, we saw both a need and an opportunity to demystify meat from plants in a way that feels more approachable for consumers.
“Impossible Ranch is a living and breathing educational resource where our commitments to the planet and animal welfare are front-and-center, along with the plants representing key ingredients in our products. We want to bring consumers along on this journey and help them understand how choosing meat from plants can be a better choice.”
Cultivating plant-based ingredients
The 70-acre ranch will focus on cultivating soybeans, sunflowers, and coconut trees—key ingredients in Impossible’s plant-based beef, chicken, and pork products. The company plans to document the ranch’s daily operations and share them on social media, aiming to educate consumers about the plant-based origins of its products and the environmental impact of food choices.
“We’re overhauling a traditional cattle ranch to make meat the new way—from plants”
As part of the unveiling, Impossible Foods is inviting its supporters to contribute suggestions for naming the rescued cattle residing on the ranch through its TikTok channel. Through this interactive engagement, fans will have the opportunity to follow the lives of six cows, two steers, and one calf via Impossible’s social media channels.
The company stated on social media, “Yeah, it’s a real place. We’re overhauling a traditional cattle ranch to make meat the new way—from plants. And when the meat comes from fields of plants, the rescue cows get to live long, happy lives.”
