The vegan Impossible Burger from California-based Impossible Foods is now featured on Air New Zealand’s business-class menu for flights between Los Angeles (LAX) and Auckland (AKL).
Designed to mimic the aroma and flavor of beef, the Impossible Burger contains heme, an iron-bearing molecule that gives the patty a savory, meat-like character. This ingredient helps recreate the sensory experience many expect from a traditional burger while keeping the product entirely plant-based.
Compared with a conventional beef burger, the Impossible Burger requires far fewer resources to produce: it uses about 75 percent less water, generates roughly 87 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions, and occupies about 95 percent less land. Those efficiencies have helped make the product increasingly popular; it is already offered in some 2,500 restaurants across the United States.
Air New Zealand will serve the Impossible Burger on flights NZ1 and NZ5 at least through late October, giving business-class travelers a plant-based alternative when flying between Los Angeles and Auckland.
“It tastes just like the real deal,” said Niki Chave, Air New Zealand’s customer experience manager. The airline will continue to provide traditional meat options alongside the plant-based choice to accommodate different passenger preferences.