MINNEAPOLIS — The latest trend in the food world is meat that isn't really meat.
The “meatless movement” has been humming along for several years now, but with fast food companies joining in experts say it’s a sign of more growth to come.
This week McDonald’s officially launched the meatless burger substitute the PLT (short for Plant Lettuce Tomato) in 28 locations in Ontario Canada.
The company is working to keep up with Burger King’s Impossible Burger, which launched earlier this August.
Other fast-food companies have also joined the meatless movement, including White Castle, A&W, Qdoba and Red Robin, just to name a few.
This sudden interest from some of the world’s most iconic restaurants shows just how far this “meatless movement” has come.
But for people like Aubry Welch, who’ve been making meatless alternatives for several years, the sudden interest comes as no surprise.
“The money-making potential for plant-based foods is just huge,” Welch says. “And it hasn’t even peaked it. It’s just going to keep growing.
Welch co-owns The Herbivorous Butcher in Minneapolis.
The company specializes in vegan alternatives to classic meat products such as brats, burgers and steaks.
“Our best-sellers are ribs, specifically our Korean ribs that have great flavor and texture and they grill up really well on the grill,” Welch says.
Welch and her brother started the company six years ago when they first set up a small table at the Minneapolis Farmers Market.
Two years later they started a food truck and opened their first brick and mortar shop in Northeast Minneapolis.
“We now have 33 employees and we sell our products across the country,” Welch says.
For years her shop and others like it had a virtual monopoly on the meatless market until much larger companies saw there was money to be made going meatless.
But instead of feeling threatened by these much larger companies, Welch sees it as a good thing.
"We see a lot of customers come into the store that are just saying hey, I went to Burger King and I tried this Impossible Burger, I really liked it. Now I want to see what else is out there," Weclh says.
"They're going to reach a group of people that maybe hasn't been reached before, so I think it's really good."
Welch says the biggest roadblock for the “meatless movement” has always been stalwart critics who won’t give it a chance.
She feels more people will be open to trying out meatless alternatives now that companies like McDonald’s and Burger King are getting behind it.
"I think a lot of people trust what those fast food places are doing. I think it's going to be a gateway for them to open their minds to other plant-based products."
Welch says the biggest misconception people have about meatless products is that you can’t eat them while you’re still eating meat, that they’re only for hardcore vegans who’ve sworn off meat altogether.
"Actually in our store we see about 65% omnivores who still eat meat on a weekly basis,” Welch says.
“They’re maybe trying to lose some weight, their doctor told them they can’t eat as much red meat so they’re cutting down, or they’re trying to help out the environment by eating less meat. They still want that texture so they come in here and so we sell them a steak or something they can still put on the grill.”
Right now, the meatless market is still pretty small compared to meat, but the Plant Based Food Association expects the two will each share 50% of the market by the year 2050.
And Welch feels getting fast-food chains on board will take this “meatless movement” to a whole new level.
"With those products out on the market people aren't going to be able to tell the difference. It's going to be easy for them to choose the plant-based healthier option. I think getting people to try it once is the way we're going to get there."