How to Invest in Impossible Foods Stock
Impossible Foods may be one of the most important companies for the next 100 years. With that potential, many are wondering how they can invest in Impossible Foods stock. Read below to learn how you can participate in the explosive growth of this plant-based meat company.
Plant-based meat alternatives are one of the most controversial, and potentially important innovations of the last ten years. If the hype is to be believed, the cost of plant-based meats is likely to fall below that of natural meat sometime soon.
This could trigger a rush from natural meat to plant-based meat like that of Impossible Foods, or Beyond. If this change in consumer preferences happens, Impossible Foods could become one of the most valuable companies in the world. With that sort of growth potential, you’re not alone in wondering how you can participate in the growth of this company.
This article will answer common questions about Impossible Foods’ stock. Does Impossible Foods have a publicly traded stock? If not, is it possible to invest in Impossible Foods? Let’s dive in and find out…
The Basics: What is Impossible Foods?
If you haven’t tried Impossible Foods’ hamburger replacement, you’re missing out. The company has created a plant-based meat alternative that looks, cooks, and tastes just like real meat. It can even be cooked medium-rare to bleed like real meat. This feat is accomplished by including what’s called Heme in the product. This is a molecule that’s responsible for much of what makes meat taste, and cook like meat. Heme is included in the product through the fermentation of genetically engineered yeast. The result is totally safe, as proven by repeated rigorous scientific studies, and makes the product delicious. Many people even prefer the taste and texture of Impossible Foods hamburger to the real thing.
Once you’ve seen the conditions that cattle are raised in, it’s impossible not to think that Impossible Foods might be on to something. The inhumane conditions that these animals are subject to from birth to their slaughter, the conditions that workers in the slaughter houses are subject to, and the nutritional properties of the final product are all horrendous. That’s not to mention the extremely negative environmental impacts. Impossible Foods, and the companies like it may be the clearest path out of the terrible industrial meat system.
Who Created Impossible Foods?
Impossible Foods was founded by Pat Brown, a former professor of biochemistry at Stanford University. He was previously one of the founders of Lyrical Foods that makes nut-based cheeses and other dairy alternative products. He founded the company in 2011 after discovering a way to make plant-based meats taste and behave like the real thing.
What Makes Impossible Foods so Successful?
The most important differentiator between Impossible Foods and their competitors is the addition of Heme to their products. This improves the taste and texture of the meat alternatives. The company is working to aggressively scale up their production, partnerships, and ultimately deliver premium meat alternatives to their customers through a variety of channels. The company has experiences phenomenal growth in recent years, and their trajectory seems to indicate that much more growht is not only possible, but probable.
What is the History of Impossible Foods?
Impossible Foods was founded in 2011 after founder Pat Brown spent an 18 month sabbatical from his professorship at Stanford investigating a way out of industrial meat operations. The company launched with just 25 employees, and the staff worked research production methods, and then to scale up production for the product launch. Despite this, the buzz created by the product outpaced supply, and there have been consistent product shortages for most of the companies life.
The staff grew to 125 by 2017. 2019 saw the greatest shortage in supply for their hamburger product yet, and some employees worked 12 hours per day with three shifts to rapidly expand production capabilities. Since, the company has grown to over 600 employees, with their products in over 3000 grocery stores and nearly 20,000 restaurants. Notably, Impossible Foods also secured a partnership with Burger King to produce an Impossible Whopper. This is the first meat alternative fast food hamburger, and propelled Burger King to record sales figures. Impossible is now tackling sausage, and milk as their next product categories.
What is the Environmental Impact of Impossible Foods?
The environmental impact of Impossible Foods when compared to conventional (natural) meat is one of its greatest selling points. If you care at all about global warming, the deleterious impacts of industrial agriculture should be familiar to you. Conventional big agriculture poisons waterways with agricultural run-off, releases massive amounts of carbon and methane into the atmosphere, and has a hugely negative impact on the health of the land. That’s not to mention the total disregard for humane treatment of animals that big agriculture is notorious for. Conversely, when compared to traditional agricultural practices, Impossible Foods’ meat alternatives use 96% less land, 87% less water and emits 89% less carbon into the atmosphere.
Is Impossible Foods Profitable?
While it’s hard to say as Impossible Foods’ financials aren’t public, the company’s unit economics are likely very attractive and getting better. Said another way, the company should be very profitable at the gross profit level. It’s unlikely however that Impossible Foods is profitable on a net profit basis as they are still investing heavily in R&D and production capabilities. Impossible Foods is currently valued at around $11 billion as of early 2021, and has raised around $1.5 billion from private investors.
Top 10 Impossible Foods Facts:
- Impossible Foods’ hamburger bleeds just like real hamburger when cooked. This is due to the presence of Heme from yeast.
- Impossible Foods recently launched a sausage product, and is working on a plant-based milk.
- The meat alternatives made by Impossible foods are massively better for the environment than real meat – they consume about 1/10th the land and water while emitting about 1/10th the carbon dioxide of real meat during production.
- All Impossible Foods’ products are made entirely from plants – no animal products are ever used.
- Bill Gates is a major investor in Impossible Foods, along with Google Ventures, Khosla Ventures, Viking Global Investors, and Horizons Ventures.
- Impossible Foods doesn’t use hormones or antibiotics in their production, and the product is free from all contaminants that real meat is subject to.
- Impossible Foods’ products are cruelty-free. Since no animal products are used, the product doesn’t come from the abhorrent conditions of slaughter houses, dairy farms, and factory farms.
- The products are rich in the same nutrients as real meat – that includes the iron that real meat has plenty of. Impossible Foods’ hamburger has the same amount of iron as real hamburger.
- Impossible Food’s burger is cholesterol free, making it a good choice for those with elevated cholesterol levels.
- Impossible Foods is working on all of the biggest meat and animal proteins, including pork, chicken, fish, cheese, and eggs.
​How can I invest in Impossible Foods stock?
Impossible Foods is still privately held. It is not currently traded on any stock market, though an IPO is being speculated. If you would like to invest in Impossible Foods stock, keep your eyes out for an IPO soon. This page will be updated when an IPO is announced.
When will Impossible Foods IPO?
While it’s impossible for outsiders to know exactly when Impossible Foods will have their initial public offering, most observers expect it in late 2021 or early 2022. The leadership team has been filling out with very experienced executives who will be capable of leading the company to a successful IPO sometime in the near future. It is all but certain that Impossible Foods will IPO on the New York Stock Exchange when the time comes.
What is Impossible Foods’ valuation?
Since the company is still privately held, we can’t say exactly what the valuation is, but the most recent investments put the valuation at over $11 billion. Once the company IPOs, the exact valuation will be determined by the stock investors.
Are there any other ways to invest in Impossible Foods stock?
If you want to invest in Impossible Foods before the company IPOs, the only way is to be an Accredited Investor. This is, an individual with a high net worth ($1 million or greater, not including your primary residence), or with a high income ($200,000 or more per year for three of the last 5 years). With Accredited Investor status, you can invest in private businesses like Impossible Foods, or make any other traditionally risky investment decision you choose to.
If you are an Accredited Investor, you may be able to invest in Impossible Foods by using a secondary market platform to purchase from a prior investor or an employee of the company. Secondary market platforms allow investors and employees to sell their shares in private companies to other accredited investors. Examples of these platforms are EquityZen and ForgeGlobal. Those who own stock or stock options in private companies like Impossible Foods can also go to these platforms to sell their equities.
Conclusion
Impossible Foods may be one of the most important companies for the future of humanity. Their plant-based meat products have met with critical acclaim, and the company is working to rapidly increase production to meet demand. Impossible Foods is working to tackle each of the major types of animal protein with products that are all but indistinguishable from the real thing. If you want to invest in Impossible Foods, you’ll either have to be an accredited investor, or wait for their IPO, since the company is still privately held. While an IPO for Impossible Foods is anticipated, the exact date is unknown at this time.
​Thanks for reading! We hope this answered your questions about investing in Impossible Foods.