Impossible Foods is suing a competing alternative protein company, alleging theft of a patented production process.
The target of the lawsuit, filed March 9, is Motif FoodWorks, a company that provides ingredients to alt-protein processors. The lawsuit charges that Motif’s production of a key ingredient infringes on an Impossible patent.
Impossible uses a substance it calls soy leghemoglobin, developed from genetically modified yeast, to mimic the taste and texture of beef and pork. Motif came out in December with an ingredient it calls Hemami. Impossible alleges in the lawsuit that, while Motif uses beef hemoglobin as its source of heme, its process develops it the same way as Impossible’s.
“This complaint is not supported by facts or the law and is nothing more than a baseless attempt by Impossible Foods to stifle competition, limit consumer choice, and impede Motif, a new and innovative company with significant business momentum,” a Motif spokesperson said in a statement to CNBC.
