Plant-based food maker Impossible Foods is broadening its product strategy beyond meat alternatives as it navigates slowing demand in the alternative protein category. The company has announced a strategic partnership with food-tech startup Equii to develop and commercialise high-protein, grain-based staples such as bread and pasta.
The move signals a notable shift for Impossible Foods, which built its brand around plant-based burgers, sausages and other meat substitutes. By entering everyday carbohydrate categories, the company aims to embed protein more deeply into daily diets and reach consumers outside the traditional alt-meat segment.
“Protein shouldn’t stop at the patty,” Impossible Foods CEO Peter McGuinness said in a LinkedIn post. He added that the collaboration with Equii would allow the company to deliver protein in formats that complement its existing plant-based portfolio, starting with select grain-based breads and pastas.
Founded in 2021, Equii focuses on developing high-protein breads, pastas and baking mixes using advanced fermentation technology. As part of the agreement, Equii co-founder and CEO Monica Bhatia has joined Impossible Foods as Vice President of Grain-Based Innovation. She said the partnership would help scale her vision of making high-protein breads and pastas more accessible to mainstream consumers.
Industry observers view the diversification as a timely response to pressure in the plant-based meat market, particularly in the US, where retail sales volumes have declined year-on-year. While consumer interest in alternative proteins remains, purchasing decisions are increasingly shaped by taste, price and versatility rather than ideology alone.
By moving into familiar, frequently consumed categories such as bread and pasta, Impossible Foods is positioning itself to tap into a broader base of health-conscious consumers seeking convenient ways to increase protein intake, even as the alt-meat category undergoes a period of recalibration.