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Plant-based burgers are "ultra-processed" like dog food, meat-backed ads say
A public-relations firm backed by meat producers has unleashed a savage marketing campaign that claims plant-based meat alternatives are unhealthy, "ultra-processed imitations" similar to dog food.
The campaign rolled out in recent weeks from the industry-funded firm Center for Consumer Freedom, according to The New York Times. So far, it has included full-page ads and opinion pieces in mainstream newspapers, including The New York Times, USA Today, and The Wall Street Journal. All the marketing material raises health concerns about trendy meat alternatives, such as the Impossible Burger and Beyond Burger.
One ad posed the question "What's hiding in your plant-based meat?" Another directed readers to take the quiz "Veggie Burger or Dog Food?"
In an op-ed, the managing director of the Center for Consumer Freedom, Will Coggin, labeled meat alternatives as "ultra-processed" foods and noted that a recent study led by the researchers at the National Institutes of Health linked ultra-processed foods to weight gain.
The negative marketing campaign comes amid soaring popularity of meat alternatives, which threaten to slice into the meat market's sales and profits. In recent months, big players in the meat industry had tried a different—some might say hypocritical—tactic to compete with the new comers—that is, they released their own lines of meat alternatives. Now, the industry wants consumers to think such alternatives are unhealthy.
Older stories:
Previously: U.S. Cattlemen's Association Wants an Official Definition of "Meat"
Regulation Coming to Lab-Grown Meat
FDA Approves Impossible Burger "Heme" Ingredient; Still Wants to Regulate "Cultured Meat"
Missouri Regulates Use of the Word "Meat" by Food Producers
Following IPO of Beyond Meat, Tyson Foods Plans Launch of its Own Meatless Products
Mississippi Bans Calling Plant and Cultured-Meat Patties 'Burgers'Related: Cargill, Bill Gates, Richard Branson Backed Memphis Meats Expects Meat From Cells in Stores by 2021
FDA May Force Rebranding of Soy, Almond, et al. "Milks"
Meatless "Beyond Burgers" Come to Fast Food Restaurants
Beef Trimmings Dubbed 'Pink SLIME' Can Now be Labelled 'Ground Beef'
No Need to Cut Down Red and Processed Meat, Study Says
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 04 2019, @04:57PM (11 children)
I'm not a West Coaster. I don't really get the In-N-Out hype. I have colleagues who look forward to California travel because they can go to In-N-Out. I've been several times myself, but I don't understand what is so great about their burgers to warrant the hype. They're not bad, and I don't mind going there, but they're nothing that makes me want to go out of my way to add them as a stop if I'm on travel.
So what am I missing here?
(Score: 2) by ElizabethGreene on Wednesday December 04 2019, @05:16PM (3 children)
I always stop at In-and-Out when I get to states that have them. The cheeseburgers are pretty good, but the thing that puts it over the top is the people. I've never had bad service there. No-one has answered the drive through with "washawan?". The people aren't on their cell phone when you pull up to the window. Orders, even special orders, take a reasonable amount of time. The store is clean inside and out, and the people are neat too.
The only other fast food place like it is Chic-Fil-A.
(Score: 5, Funny) by FatPhil on Wednesday December 04 2019, @11:11PM (2 children)
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 4, Funny) by ElizabethGreene on Thursday December 05 2019, @03:37AM (1 child)
I eat at both, so there is some level of contamination.;0
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Thursday December 05 2019, @10:12AM
I now wish I'd have spent just a little longer on my prior post, it's blatantly obvious in retrospect that "queers" would have been the better match: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hz1JWzyvv8A
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 04 2019, @05:35PM
As far as burger chains go, you got to beat What-A-Burger.
The best burgers are always to be found in single owner joints.
But there is no "best". There are too many custom crafted burgers capable of blowing you away and they are unique unto themselves.
In-N-Out ain't even in the ballpark. The little convenience store near me with a grill in the corner makes a better burger.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 04 2019, @05:43PM (4 children)
You can order a cheeseburger with 7 patties (7-high). Do that at McDonalds and you'll get explosive diarrhea.
(Score: 2) by MostCynical on Wednesday December 04 2019, @07:41PM (3 children)
better out that in.
Amazingly, I think I can actually hear all those arteries in the US hardening. 7 patties? No need to plan for retirement..
"I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Wednesday December 04 2019, @08:24PM (2 children)
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Wednesday December 04 2019, @11:29PM (1 child)
8x.25=2, so two pounds of beef? My hat is off to you, good sir. I couldn't finish my fries after eating a 1.5lb burger last month.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Thursday December 05 2019, @12:24AM
But by heck did I try!
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 1) by Ethanol-fueled on Wednesday December 04 2019, @11:50PM
Because it's fucking cheap and delicious for what it is, and they treat their employees well while having drive-ins. Try to get similar burgers at McDonald's and Jack in the Box and you're going to be paying around 50% extra for way nastier food. Chick Fil-A is the same way, that's why you're gonna drive no less than 10 miles to get to one and both always have fucklong lines in the drive-thru.
Somebody else mentioned Whataburger, but I've never seen one of those in my entire life and I've lived and traveled across the U.S. And places like Five Guys and Smashburger are walk-in only with a 15-minute wait for your food even on slow days.