The American maker of a “bleeding” meat-free burger is planning to launch in Britain after applying for regulatory approval to sell the product.
Impossible Foods hopes to hit British supermarket shelves “sooner rather than later” after Boris Johnson pledged to ensure that the country’s post-Brexit food standards would be governed by science.
Unlike other plant-based food manufacturers, the Silicon Valley startup uses an ingredient produced by a genetically engineered yeast to make its burgers seem more like meat.
Food regulators in the United States have approved the use of soy leghemoglobin, known as heme, as a colour additive. Impossible lodged a similar application with European authorities two years ago that has yet to be authorised.
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Once Britain formally left the European Union, the company filed a separate application with its Food Standards Agency. Dana Wagner, chief legal officer at Impossible, said:
“The UK has said a lot of very positive things about being open for business, about wanting to be an innovation powerhouse, about being aware of climate change issues and wanting to lead on that.”
