Burgers being one of the favorite foods in American diet, the patties used in them have seen a lot of revolution in the last four decades. One such revolution was caused by veggie patties. Introduced to the world back in the early ‘80s, as a sumptuous burger patty option for vegetarians. More recently, these old-style patties are being attempted to be overthrown by new, high-tech meatless patties. So, how different are these from the traditional veggie burgers? And could they replace the traditional veggie patties? Read on to find out.
Key differences
The new-age high-tech meatless patties have some unique characteristics that have made them a sought-after option. Here are some key differences between the old and the new.
The look and Feel
Firstly, there is the feel of having a burger that is so important when, well, you are having a burger. With the old-style veggie patties made of black beans, vegetables, mushrooms, or lentils, the texture of the patty was more chunky and uneven. The look of it would tell you that you were about to have something that has no meat in it. However, with the “high-tech” patties, as I like to call them sometimes, it is a different ballgame. They are purposefully made to look like beef burgers by incorporating a variety of ingredients that are components of proprietary formulas of their creators but key ingredients that make them taste and look like meat are heme and beet juice. Result? You can no longer tell by looking whether it is a real or faux meat.
Frozen vs Fresh
Veggie Patties of old times were made in batches and immediately cooled and frozen. This is the reason they were only found in the frozen sections of the supermarket. Even when you ordered a veggie burger at a restaurant, they would essentially thaw and grill a frozen patty for you. Although some faux meat patties are sometimes sold frozen, you can find them in the fridges often next to the beef-based ones.
Ingredients
Veggie patties tend to have a lower calorie and sodium count compared to the faux meat ones. The fake meat ones are comprised of more ingredients which is, as their manufacturers claim, needed for that meat-like texture and aroma. This has been a hot topic of discussion for the past two or so years and we hope to devote a few more articles to it in the future. There are many veggie patties on the market today and it is hard to single out just one brand and compare it to a plant-based faux meat counterpart but for the sake of this post I’ve chosen
Customer Reach
The primary market of the good old veggie patties consisted of vegans and vegetarians. These patties were found at lower prices than beef patties. Meat-eaters, typically, had no interest in them. The new style plant-based patties, on the other hand, are designed to appeal to everyone. They have also lured customers from the meat loving fraternity. These flexitarians are early adopters of these high-tech burgers and do not mind the higher price tag. According to marketwatch website, 95% of consumers who order vegan burgers aren’t even vegetarians.
Sustainability
The big question now is, will these new-age, high-tech meat lookalike burger patties be able to sustain themselves in the long run? Well, their unique selling point has been established and those who are switching to these burgers are doing so for claimed environmental benefits. But these patties are considered highly processed and some do contain GMOs. This aspect might be considered a health risk and could bring down the initial craze. Additionally, the market is still nascent, and these burgers are still only being tested by large food joints. It might be a while before major fast food chains join the movement and these burgers become the mainstream. Meanwhile, manufacturers of meatless patties will hopefully compete to make the healthiest, tastiest and most affordable version of a high-tech patty.
Takeaway
Although, high-tech burgers are catching up to the meat market, they still must compete with their ancestors, aka, the veggie burgers. Faux-meat patties were never designed solely for vegans and vegetarians and many consumers from these two groups still prefer the older versions simply because they are repulsed by the meat-like look and taste of the new ones. This could be looked at as a positive trend which will hopefully stimulate various manufacturers of meat alternatives to compete in perfecting their products. The plant-based market is projected to grow to $85 billion by 2030 and that might see a surge in the consumption of the new-age meatless patties.