Central Kitchen and Other Favorite Detroit-Area Restaurants Accelerate the Plant-Based Food Movement

  • Detroit hot spot Central Kitchen debuts Impossible Lettuce Wraps -- a unique take on the famous Impossible™ Burger
  • Impossible Burger is now available at more than 100 restaurants in Michigan -- from White Castle restaurants to some of Detroit’s most iconic establishments
  • Impossible Foods is hosting a party tonight at the Majestic Theater with Royce da 5’9, Dej Loaf, DJ House Shoes, and a mystery guest … and Impossible Sliders for all

(Photo: Impossible Foods)

DETROIT--()--Plant-based meat from Impossible Foods will debut today at Central Kitchen + Bar, the popular eatery at the heart of Detroit’s thriving restaurant renaissance, near Campus Martius and across from Cadillac Square.

Starting at lunch today, Central Kitchen will serve Impossible Lettuce Wraps -- a unique take on the award-winning Impossible Burger. Created by Executive Chef Christina Stanco, the plate features Impossible Foods’ plant-based meat in a savory mix of spices, with Thai peanut dip and bibb lettuce cups for $16.

"As we celebrate our 3-year anniversary, we continue to evolve with the palates and demands of our discerning guests, and accommodate the national trend towards healthy meal options that don't compromise on taste, and our partnership with Impossible Foods couldn't be more timely," said Central Kitchen + Bar owner and serial entrepreneur Dennis Archer, Jr. "Executive Chef Christina Stanco and her culinary team were blown away by the Impossible Burger, and they took it a step further by creating innovative recipes that you will not find anywhere else in America.”

Central Kitchen joins more than 100 other restaurants in Michigan serving the Impossible Burger. Other restaurants include the regional outlets of national chains Bar Louie, Houlihan’s and Wahlburgers as well as metro Detroit favorites Punchbowl Social, Tom’s Oyster Bar, Ford’s Garage, Greektown Casino and Alley Taco. The Impossible Burger is also on the 2018 menu at Ford Field.

Delicious in The D

Metro Detroit is one of the top regions nationwide for Impossible Burger sales, second only to Chicago in the Midwest.

The Impossible Burger took the region by storm when it debuted one year ago at the Royal Oak outlet of B Spot, the Midwest burger chain owned by Michael Symon. Symon, a Cleveland native who describes his cuisine as “meat centric,” has won accolades from Food & Wine magazine, The James Beard Foundation Award and the Detroit Free Press, among others.

Impossible Foods’ flagship product debuted in 2016 at Chef David Chang’s lauded restaurant Momofuku Nishi in Manhattan. The Impossible Burger is now available in more than 3,000 locations globally, including restaurants, corporate dining halls, universities and other foodservice locations in the United States, Hong Kong and Macau.

“The Impossible Burger started in 2016 on the East and West coasts, but today we are seeing tremendous growth in the Midwest -- and Detroit is a real standout,” said Stephanie Lind, Impossible Foods’ head of global sales. “More and more restaurants serve the Impossible Burger, so more and more customers ask for it. Michigan is now home to Impossible Burgers, tacos, sliders and now lettuce wraps. It’s a virtuous sales circle -- for us, for restaurants and ultimately for consumers and the planet.”

From white glove...to White Castle

White Castle, founded in 1921, also announced today that it is rolling out the highly acclaimed Impossible Slider at all restaurants nationwide.

Hailed as “one of the country’s best fast-food burgers, period,” the Impossible Slider debuted in April at 140 White Castle locations in New York, New Jersey and Chicago. Based on the overwhelming success of the pilot program, White Castle - largely credited for inventing the slider- is expanding availability of the Impossible Slider starting today to all 377 of its restaurants in 13 states -- from New York to St. Louis.

Impossible Foods opened its first large-scale manufacturing plant in September 2017 in Oakland, Calif. With demand still outstripping supply, the company is adding a second shift to double production.

Impossible Foods will continue to roll out its plant-based meat in restaurants and other foodservice locations nationwide, then in retail locations.

Meat for Meat Lovers

Impossible Foods’ makes meat directly from plants -- with a much smaller environmental footprint than meat from animal cadavers.

The company has assembled a world-class research team to work on food, combining the best of nature and science to create wholesome and nutritious food, protect natural resources and biodiversity, restore healthy ecosystems and feed a growing population sustainably.

The Impossible Burger contains no added hormones, antibiotics, cholesterol or artificial flavors. It requires less than a quarter of the water, less than 5% of the land and generates less than an eighth of the greenhouse gas emissions required to produce the same quantity of ground beef from cows.

Stop reading this news release and sink your teeth into an Impossible Slider -- or Impossible pizza, burritos, meatballs or other delicacies. Find the nearest restaurant at http://impossiblefoods.com.

About Impossible Foods:

Based in Redwood City, Calif., Impossible Foods makes delicious, nutritious meat and dairy products directly from plants -- with a much smaller environmental footprint than foods from animals. The privately held company was founded in 2011 by Patrick O. Brown, M.D., Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Biochemistry at Stanford University and a former Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator. Investors include Khosla Ventures, Bill Gates, Google Ventures, Horizons Ventures, UBS, Viking Global Investors, Temasek, Sailing Capital and Open Philanthropy Project.

More information:
impossiblefoods.com
www.twitter.com/impossiblefoods
www.facebook.com/impossiblefoods

Press kit:
https://impossiblefoods.app.box.com/v/presskit

Contacts

Impossible Foods
Jessica Appelgren
jessica.appelgren@impossiblefoods.com

Contacts

Impossible Foods
Jessica Appelgren
jessica.appelgren@impossiblefoods.com