Sponsored by Impossible Foods
Q. What are you most proud of in terms of company leadership and community impact as you look back at the challenges of 2020?
A. In March, Impossible Foods dropped wholesale food service prices by an average of 15%–thanks to manufacturing efficiencies and greater economies of scale. The first of several future price cuts to come, the price reduction reflected our vision to compete against ground beef from cows in every way that matters to the consumer: taste, nutrition, sustainability, convenience and affordability.
As the industry adapted to COVID-19, we worked closely with our community of foodservice operators and in the spring, launched a successful rebate program for those who were purchasing Impossible products at that time. Operators who provided proof of purchase were able to redeem an offer of $200 in return.
As demand surged, we also underwent the largest operational expansion in our 10-year history as a company, experiencing unprecedented growth for our retail business and expanding our foodservice operations with the introduction of a brand-new product: Impossible™ Sausage Made From Plants. Impossible Sausage first debuted at 30 of America’s top diners (according to Yelp) and more than 18,000 Starbucks locations across the country.
Q. How are you or your company fostering diverse and inclusive future leaders of foodservice?
A. Throughout the pandemic, Impossible Foods deepened our relationships with diverse innovators in the foodservice industry.
We debuted a webinar series to highlight the creativity of Impossible operators – sharing solutions for how to thoughtfully pivot and engage customers during the pandemic. One successful webinar featured Dog Haus, who not only boosted their takeout and delivery program in response to COVID, but also created a digital marketplace to sell groceries and meal kits out of their existing restaurant locations.
We also created an Instagram series featuring a variety of engaging, live content and conversations, which has garnered a growing community of fans. Our followers were able to tune in for a rotation of #CookImpossible recipe tutorials, along with #GrillsideChats highlighting special guests, covering topics from food’s role in social injustice to intersectional environmentalism.
Q. What does leadership and impact mean to you or your company?Showcase examples of industry partnership.
A. Impossible Foods’ long-term mission is to make our products ubiquitous, and that means they must be affordable and accessible to everyone.When COVID-19 hit, we began donating around 10,000 pounds of Impossible Burger per week to nourish communities most affected by the pandemic.
Our team prioritized partnerships with organizations that were addressing hunger, food inequity and social injustice, including Feeding America, No Kid Hungry, Know Your Rights Camp, Pinky Cole’s Votenik, and SodexoMAGIC. In December, we reached our goal of donating 1 million Impossible Burgers in 2020 and plan to continue the social good program into the new year.
