Which plant-based meat startup was founded by Patrick O. Brown?

Impossible Foods was founded by Patrick O. Brown. Brown, a Stanford biochemistry professor, created the company to develop plant-based foods that could replace animal meat rather than merely imitate traditional vegetable burgers.

During an 18-month sabbatical beginning in 2009, Brown focused on the environmental impact of animal agriculture. He reasoned that a compelling alternative would need to reproduce the sensory experience of meat, including its aroma, texture, cooking behavior, and savory flavor. His team investigated heme, an iron-containing molecule associated with meat’s taste and appearance, and developed a plant-derived version using soy leghemoglobin.

Impossible Foods was founded in July 2011. After years of research, the company launched the Impossible Burger in restaurants in 2016. The product became widely known for its beef-like texture and for the red, “bleeding” appearance produced by its heme ingredient.

Impossible Foods is often confused with Beyond Meat, another major plant-based meat company founded by Ethan Brown, who is not related to Patrick O. Brown. Other alternatives, including Memphis Meats and Just, have pursued different products or technologies.