Cracker Barrel Ignites a Fake Meat Food Feud

When KFC first tested faux meat at an Atlanta store in 2019, consumers responded with lines that stretched for city blocks and depleted a week’s supply of Beyond chicken-free nuggets in a matter of hours. Burger King, that same year, answered overwhelming fan demand by launching the Impossible Whopper at its 7,000-plus U.S. locations, months ahead of schedule. But when Cracker Barrel recently announced a chain-wide debut of plant-based sausage on its breakfast menu—after a successful months-long trial run—some diners had a decidedly different reaction. A sampling of the social posts, some of which accuse the brand of being "woke," contains the following: “Another sell out!!! You have got to be joking??? Is it April 1st??? Tank yourselves! We won’t forget!” “I just lost respect for a once great Tennessee company.” Liquid Death Opens Cruelty-Free ‘Vegan Cannibal Steakhouse’ With Postmates In an environment when everything seems to be political—down to the food on our plates—plant-based meat has become yet another battleground. As if on cue, the backlash to the backlash began immediately, with thousands of Twitter and Facebook comments like these: “Your tears of rage at the veggie sausage are so satisfying. Almost meaty. Nom nom nom.” “I twisted by ankle running to this comment section to see all the clogged artery rage over this.” And a little perspective from an across-the-pond precedent: “People lost their shit like this in the U.K. when Greggs introduced a vegan sausage roll. It led to the company posting record profits which it admirably shared with staff. I reckon Cracker Barrel is going to be ok.” https://twitter.com/whyangelinawhy/status/1554531082816602112?s=21&t=o3cUNMZx-uZXi7mQnYuckA Folksy fireworks Sitting squarely in the middle of this debate is the Southern restaurant itself—a staple for long-haul truckers and highway travelers, with locations in 45 states. With its formal name—Cracker Barrel Old Country Store—and its 2021 tagline, "Take care now," the brand leans heavily into its down-home heritage while, more recently, trying to draw in a new crop of customers. And research shows that various demos—especially millennials and Gen Z who put a premium on sustainability, health and wellness, but also people of any age with dietary restrictions—increasingly demand meat alternatives. But data didn’t matter last week when Cracker Barrel’s Facebook page lit up with negative posts about the premiere of Impossible Sausage as a premium add-on available for breakfast at the brand’s 660-plus stores. It's the chain's first plant-based meat offering. (Supporters jumped in and quickly outnumbered the complainers, by an unofficial tally.) Cracker Barrel, contacted by Adweek, wouldn’t discuss the controversy but provided the following statement: “We’re always exploring opportunities to expand how our guests experience breakfast and provide choices to satisfy every taste bud—whether people want to stick with traditional bacon and sausage or are hungry for a new, plant-based option like Impossible Sausage.” Carnivore's delight While the social chatter has revolved around the red-blooded Americanism of meat versus the perceived liberal left-leaning tendencies of faux meat fans, the stats tell a different story. Analysts note that the plant-based protein category is largely driven by meat eaters, not vegans or vegetarians, with 98% of plant-based meat buyers also reporting that they buy animal meat, according to Nielsen. The fastest-growing food order on Grubhub in 2021 was the Impossible cheeseburger, per the delivery service. As for restaurants, shipments of plant-based protein increased 19% from April 2019 to April 2021, per NPD SupplyTrack data. "In response to consumer demand, we are seeing more and more foodservice operators, like Cracker Barrel, use plant-based proteins to drive growth and differentiate their menus," Marika Azoff, corporate engagement specialist at the nonprofit Good Food Institute, told Adweek. "Increasing plant-based options on menus positions restaurants to appeal to younger consumers who are particularly drawn to the plant-based category—63% of millennials are trying to incorporate plant-based foods into their diets, and 65% of Gen Zers find plant-based foods appealing." About 98% of plant-based meat buyers also report that they buy animal meat, according to Nielsen. Brad’s Wife It’s not the first time Cracker Barrel has had to deal with an unexpectedly viral moment—in 2017, an Indiana employee of 11 years was reportedly fired and her husband took to social platforms to protest. Brad’s Wife became a meme, which boosted the chain’s digital content engagement by triple digits but was never fully explained. Then, as now, Cracker Barrel remained mum. A few commenters with long memories dredged up Brad’s Wife this week, but there’s no apparent connection beyond nostalgia to the latest internet flap. Try before you buy Cracker Barrel’s partnership with Impossible Foods actually began last fall with a test in about 50 stores. The approach mirrors chains like Burger King and others that launched trials with faux meat in select markets to gauge customer reaction. Sales have been so strong for meat substitutes—as in KFC’s experiment—that fast food and fast casual restaurants have broadened the offerings or added the products to their everyday menus. Cracker Barrel didn’t share results from the trial run, but announced the national debut by suggesting consumers "discover new meat frontiers." Generally, the trial-and-rollout method has been a boon to Impossible and its competitors such as Beyond Meat, which have expanded from faux burgers and crumbles to plant-based chicken, sausage and pork. (Steak and seafood are next.) Impossible, in its bid to get in front of the country’s growing flexitarian audience, has been on a distribution tear over the past few years. The Silicon Valley-based brand is now stocked in some 25,000 grocery stores, including established players such as Walmart, Target, Kroger and Costco. At the same time, Impossible has deals with nearly 40,000 restaurants, from mom-and-pop diners to major chains. For every upscale chef-led eatery—David Chang’s Momofuku and Sean Brock’s Joyland, among them—there’s a mainstream outlet like White Castle, Red Robin and Applebee’s on its list. The brand also aligned with two new partners this year—United and Delta—marking its entry into the airline space as growth for the category overall is projected to continue. As Dairy Loses Its Sparkle, Oatly Pushes for Plant-Based Drinks to Be Part of School Meals

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Cracker Barrel Ignites a Fake Meat Food Feud With New Plant-Based Breakfast Sausage

A clash of down-home heritage and evolving consumer demands meets a backlash—and then another 'impossible' backlash

T.L. Stanley

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T.L. Stanley