Burger King is doing the Impossible: The fast-food chain announced Monday it is putting the U.S.-created meatless "Impossible" burger on menus in Canada following a successful trial of the Impossible Whopper in Ontario.
This makes Burger King the first fast food restaurant in Canada to offer the Impossible Burger nation-wide, though it is not the first fast food or quick-serve spot to put the plant-based California-born patty on its menu. In 2020, White Spot put the Impossible Burger on its menus in B.C. and Alberta, becoming the first chain in Western Canada to do so. The restaurant company also operates the casual Triple-O's, which also offers the Impossible Burger.
Starting now, Burger King locations across Canada are offering the Impossible Whopper, which subs the traditional flame-grilled beef burger patty for the meatless one. As far as nutritional content goes, the beef Whopper and the Impossible option as served at Burger King are on par for calories, fat, protein, and cholesterol content. However, a regular Whopper is lower in sodium, carbohydrates, and fibre than the Impossible Whopper.
And while the Impossible burger patty is itself plant-based, when served with mayo and on a bun at BK, the item includes egg and possibly milk. It is also not clear if Burger King will be able to make its Impossible Whopper on a dedicated grill so as not to cross-contaminate with beef, so the burger is not ideal for vegan customers.
"The Impossible Whopper has been successful in Ontario so far and we're thrilled to expand its availability to the rest of Canada," said Dennis Woodside, President of Impossible Foods in a media release.
"We know Canadians are looking for more choice in what they eat - and that there is growing interest in plant-based options," added Matt Wright, General Manager, Burger King Canada.
It's been nearly three years since a major Canadian fast-food company put a plant-based meat alternative patty on its menu; in July 2018 A&W Canada began slinging Beyond Meat burgers nationwide and has since expanded its lineup to include Beyond Meat breakfast sausage too.
