Americans shun fake meat due to high prices and its link to “wokeism” By Ramon Tomey for Food Science
Once a thriving industry, the fake meat market in the U.S. is now on a downturn. Americans now shun synthetic meat due to its high prices and links to “wokeism.”
Data from Information Resources Inc. (IRI) revealed that synthetic meat sales had dropped 10.5 percent as of Sept. 4, compared to the same period last year. IRI’s revelation contrasted a report by the Plant Based Foods Association, which showed that sales in the fake meat industry rose by 27 percent.
Many factors are to blame for the steady decline of fake meat sales.
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According to IRI fresh food specialist Jonna Parker, consumers who may have opted for an alternative protein source will now just buy real meat as it is more affordable. With inflation hitting Americans’ budgets, shoppers have become less willing to pay a premium for meat analogues.
Meanwhile, representatives from consultancy company Deloitte pointed their fingers at the “perception problem” hounding the fake meat industry. A survey conducted by the company in July found a decline in the belief that plant-based meat is healthier and more environmentally sustainable than meat from animals. (Related: Globalist-backed lab-grown meat uses byproduct of cow slaughter.)
Aside from this, the Deloitte analysts cited growing cultural resistance to the “woke” status of fake meat. They remarked that such resistance is also present among those seeking to reduce their consumption of red meat.
A LifeSiteNews op-ed from June 2022 revealed that some fake meat products use fetal bovine serum (FBS) as a base material. FBS, which is harvested from the fetuses of cows, is used to culture fake meat as its growth factors that prevent cell death make it ideal for growing any cell.
Given this revelation, the op-ed shot down any claims of fake meat being ethically manufactured as “false advertising.” It ultimately remarked that consuming cultured meat is basically “eating food made from an animal that was sacrificed before it was even born.”
Consumers using their wallets to push back against fake meat
More often than not, Americans use their wallets to push back against opposition – in this case, fake meat. Aside from voicing out their disapproval on social media, they often boycott products and encourage friends and family to do so.
In one instance, Cracker Barrel launched its Impossible Sausage in August to much derision. “The blowback was immediate and intense,” said the Jeff Bezos-owned Washington Post. It also published several comments on social media denouncing the new “woke” menu item.
“If I wanted a salad, I would in fact order a salad,” one commenter said, admonishing the joint to “stop with the ‘plant-based meat’ crap.” Another remarked that they “just lost respect for a once-great Tennessee company.”
“All the more reason to stop eating at Cracker Barrel,” a third user said. “This is not what Cracker Barrel was to be all about.”
Fast food chain McDonald’s, meanwhile, was forced to scrap a pilot program involving plant-based meat items on its menu. The endeavor was the result of a partnership with synthetic meat company Beyond Meat, featuring items like the McPlant Burger.
Ken Goldman, analyst at JPMorgan Chase, said in a market research note that the McPlant Burger was being broadly discontinued in the U.S. as of July 28. He spoke with employees at 25 McDonalds locations, who remarked that the fake meat burger is now “McDone.”
“Not surprisingly, the reason sometimes being cited is that the product did not sell well enough,” Goldman wrote.
