Impossible Foods yesterday (Aug. 13) opened its first in-person foodservice concept, Impossible Quality Meats, in Chicago’s XMarket Food Hall. It arrives just in time for the Democratic National Convention, which will bring 6,000 or so delegates and possibly 50,000 total visitors to the Windy City.
The company is calling it a popup, a stand that will operate Tuesdays through Sundays serving an entirely plant-based menu of beef, chicken and pork analogues made from plants.
The menu is: Breakfast Sausage Sandwich, Asian Style Meatballs, Nachos, Grilled Chicken Caesar (as a wrap or a salad), the Impossible Burger, a Chicago Style Hot Dog, Bratwurst (for visitors from neighboring Wisconsin) and Chicken Nuggets. And for dessert: soft-serve nondairy ice cream from Oatly.
Company officials are calling it an extension of its “meatier” brand identity, introduced in March of this year, aimed at encouraging meat-eaters to continue eating the meat they love, just from plants. On that theme, Impossible partnered this summer with a spokesman it’s calling the world’s greatest meat-eater, Joey Chestnut – a move that got him banned from the annual Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest on July 4, which Chestnut has won 16 times.
