![](\"https:\/\/vegnews.com\/media\/W1siZiIsIjMwOTE3L1ZlZ05ld3MuQ3JhY2tlckJhcnJlbC5qcGciXSxbInAiLCJ0aHVtYiIsIjE2MDB4OTQ2IyIseyJmb3JtYXQiOiJqcGcifV0sWyJwIiwib3B0aW1pemUiXV0\/VegNews.CrackerBarrel.jpg?sha=a2d4106c62e47cb7\")
It should be noted that the Impossible sausage\u2014Cracker Barrel\u2019s first plant-based meat option\u2014did not replace any menu items and was instead added as an option after a regional test proved demand.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAt Cracker Barrel, our all-day, homestyle breakfast menu is a staple that draws enthusiasm from guests of all ages, so we are always exploring opportunities to improve how our guests experience breakfast,\u201d Sarah Breymaier, Director of Menu Strategy at Cracker Barrel, said in a statement in June. \u201cOur new breakfast menu innovations provide a personalized experience with delicious breakfast choices to satisfy every taste bud\u2014whether guests are nostalgic for homestyle food, hungry for a nutritious plant-based option or have a craving for a sweet treat. At morning, noon, or night, we want guests to enjoy craveable breakfast favorites at a compelling value.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
And while Cracker Barrel, which is based in Tennessee, is trying to explore new, in-demand plant-based options, the move has stirred up some controversy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
![\"VegNews.CrackerBarrelXImpossible\"](\"https:\/\/vegnews.com\/media\/29795\/VegNews.CrackerBarrelXImpossible.jpg\")
Cracker Barrel<\/p>\n
Meat-eaters fighting over plant-based sausage at Cracker Barrel<\/h2>\n
Cracker Barrel recently took to social media to promote its new plant-based Impossible sausage with a simple message. \u201cDiscover new meat frontiers,\u201d the chain captioned<\/a> a breakfast plate photo on Facebook. \u201cExperience the out of this world flavor of Impossible Sausage Made From Plants next time you Build Your Own Breakfast.\u201d<\/p>\n Since August 1, the seemingly benign post drew 12,000 comments, many of which condemned Cracker Barrel for adding plant-based meat and claiming that it was attempting to replace pork sausage. \u201cYou can take my pork sausage when you pry it from my cold, dead hands!!\u201d one commenter said in all capital letters. \u201cDon\u2019t tread on my pork.\u201d<\/p>\n Other commenters jumped in to defend Cracker Barrel\u2019s decision in modernizing its menu with plant-based meat options. \u201cThe world is crumbling but let\u2019s get mad that you have another option for breakfast,\u201d one commenter stated.<\/p>\n And some commenters had a different viewpoint all together. \u201cI\u2019m a big meat eater but Impossible Burgers and Sausage are so<\/em> good,\u201d one commenter said. \u201cI couldn\u2019t even tell the difference. I think it\u2019s great for people who can\u2019t eat meat for whatever reason.\u201d<\/p>\n For comparison, Cracker Barrel\u2019s post on July 30\u2014the day prior to the Impossible sausage post\u2014about its cheesecake-stuffed pancakes only gained 78 comments, some of which came after the Impossible Sausage controversy.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n While the battle at Cracker Barrel over the addition of Impossible\u2019s plant-based sausage rages on, the climate crisis\u2014fueled in no small part by animal agriculture\u2014is bringing some of the hottest temperatures ever recorded to regions across the world, including the American South. In mid-June when Impossible\u2019s sausage hit the menu at Cracker Barrel, 16 states were under heat alerts and Nashville, TN\u2014which is not far from Cracker Barrel\u2019s Lebanon headquarters\u2014recorded its first 100-degree day in nearly a decade.\u00a0<\/p>\n A growing body of research is uncovering the vast impact animal agriculture is having on the environment<\/a>, including a 2022 review<\/a> published recently in the scientific journal Future Foods<\/em> that examined 43 studies on the topic to conclude that plant-based meat is both healthier for humans and more sustainable than its animal counterpart.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n And Impossible\u2019s sustainability benefits cannot be denied. Whereas producing animal-derived food is responsible for up to 17 percent of greenhouse gas emissions globally, Impossible\u2019s plant-based alternatives<\/a> require 75-percent less land, 85-percent less water, and 90-percent less greenhouse gas emissions to produce.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cPlant-based proteins require a fraction of the land, emissions, and other harms associated with conventional meat products,\u201d Maia Keerie, a spokesperson for nonprofit Good Food Institute (GFI), told VegNews. \u201cBy adding more plant-based options to their menus, restaurant chains offer consumers a more sustainable choice and the opportunity to choose products that align with their values.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Demand for plant-based foods\u2014motivated by environmental benefits, animal welfare, and health\u2014is also strong, particularly when it comes to foodservice menus.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cPlant-based has been one of the fastest-growing trends in foodservice for the past several years and foodservice operators continue to use plant-based proteins to drive growth and differentiate their menus,\u201d Keerie said. \u201cShipments of plant-based proteins to commercial restaurants have increased year on year as consumers continue to order more plant-based options than ever before.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n According to GFI, plant-based food sales amassed $7.4 billion in 2021<\/a>, an increase of 54 percent since 2018. These statistics are helping chains such as Cracker Barrel understand how to implement changes on their menus to best serve their consumer needs, which are expanding beyond plant-based burgers and into new vegan meat categories.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe plant-based burger continues to be a crowd pleaser, often being one of the fastest growing food orders, and now menus are rapidly expanding to include plant-based sausages, chicken, ground beef, and chorizo,\u201d Keerie said. \u201cBy expanding the plant-based options on their menus, restaurants have been able to attract new and younger consumers and increase check averages, which is likely an attractive option for chains like Cracker Barrel.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"VegNews.ImpossibleFoodsGrandmas\"](\"https:\/\/vegnews.com\/media\/30918\/VegNews.ImpossibleFoodsGrandmas.jpg\")
Impossible Foods<\/p>\nPlant-based meat to fight climate crisis<\/h2>\n
![\"VegNews.Whopper.BurgerKingAustria\"](\"https:\/\/vegnews.com\/media\/30187\/VegNews.Whopper.BurgerKingAustria.jpg\")
Burger King<\/p>\nDemand for plant-based meat grows\u00a0<\/h2>\n
For the latest vegan news, read: <\/strong>
<\/strong>Can a New Postbiotic Protein Make Babybel the Best-Tasting Vegan Cheese? <\/em>
<\/strong><\/a>Lizzo Blazes Through \u2018Hot Ones\u2019 With Help From Daring\u2019s Vegan Chicken <\/em>
<\/strong><\/a>Vegans Who Lift Weights Have Better Bone Strength, New Study Finds<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n \n