Seven states pass laws restricting plant-based meat labelling

Trying to capitalize on a new trend, it seems as if almost every business is jumping to quickly offer plant-based meats on their menus, but not everyone is convinced the products are healthy for you.

It’s gotten to the point where U.S. states are proposing laws banning plant-based meats from being labelled as burgers, hot dogs, sausage, or other meat products, reported the Washington Post. Thirty states have proposed laws, and seven — Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oklahoma and Wyoming — have approved them. The Arkansas law is being challenged by the American Civil Liberties Union, the Good Food Institute, and the Animal Legal Defense Fund, according to the Post, on the basis the ban violates the free speech clause of the first amendment.

The latest restaurant chain to join the craze is KFC, which announced in late August that it is testing a plant-based nugget and boneless wings (called Beyond Fried Chicken) at one of its stores in Atlanta. It sold out within five hours of offering the product, with some customers waiting four hours in line for it. Subway announced in early August that it will offer Beyond Meat meatball subs starting in September.

As well, 7-Eleven started selling a vegan Beyond Meat sausage-topped pizza in their stores in mid-August.

Beyond Meats can already be found at Tim Hortons, A&W, Carl’s Jr. and Mucho Burrito. People visiting Tex-Mex restaurant Lone Star can order Beyond Meat fajitas. Beyond Meat is also looking to get into the faux-bacon business. The company’s biggest plant-based competitor, Impossible Foods, has a deal with Burger King and White Castle. Beyond Meat already has its products in most grocery stores, found next to ground beef in the meat department, while Impossible Foods will be in stores in September.

Other companies are looking to get in on the action. Hog producer Smithfield Foods will soon launch soybean-based products, including burgers, meatballs and breakfast patties. Quebec-based Vegeat, Maple Leaf Foods, President’s Choice, Nestle SA, Tyson Foods, Perdue Foods, The Meatless Farm Co. and Jensen Meat Co. are all getting into the meatless burgers market.

Cargill, one of North America’s largest beef processors, announced an additional $75 million investment in Puris, the continent’s largest pea protein producer. Pea protein is one of the main ingredients in the Beyond Meat foods.

Morning Star Farms, owned by Kellogg, offers a veggie burger brand. Most of their offerings do not use the word meat, except for the Meat Lover’s Vegan Burger. Boca, owned by Kraft Heinz, will soon be offering vegan chik’n burgers.

However, nutritionists say the Beyond Meat burger is not a healthier alternative to meat. Nutritionist Lisa Drayer wrote on CNN that “if you’re eating these burgers simply in the name of saving calories, or sodium, or saturated fat, you might want to rethink your decision.”

John Mackey, CEO and co-founder of Whole Foods, which was the first to start carrying Beyond Meat products back in 2013, said the products are highly-processed foods and are not healthy.

“I don’t think eating highly processed foods is healthy. I think people thrive on eating whole foods,” Mackey told CNBC. “As for health, I will not endorse that, and that is about as big a criticism as I will do in public.”