Impossible Foods is on a mission: The company wants to transform the global food industry by making sustainable meat, fish, and dairy alternatives from plants.
Food is a $1.4 trillion global industry. Because of its massive size, it's using significant natural resources. Animal meat production uses almost half the world's land and consumes almost a quarter of its fresh water while contributing roughly 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Impossible Foods wants to change this equation by getting more people to shift their diets from animal- to plant-based protein. It has a huge growth runway, considering global plant-based protein sales were only about $8.1 billion in 2023.
That massive market opportunity has many investors eagerly anticipating its initial public offering (IPO). You might also be a fan of its products and want to invest in a company you believe could be a big winner. Here's a guide to everything you need to know about how to invest in Impossible Foods ahead of its eventual IPO.
IPO
Is it publicly traded?
Is Impossible Foods publicly traded?
Impossible Foods isn't a publicly traded company as of early 2025. It is a private company held by a small group of investors.
Will they IPO?
When will Impossible Foods IPO?
Impossible Foods doesn't have an IPO on the calendar as of early 2025. An IPO has grown unlikely, at least in the near term, due in part to the poor stock performance of competitor Beyond Meat (BYND 0.2%). Instead, CEO Peter McGuinness suggested in an interview in mid-2024 that a sale of the entire company within the next few years is one option it could consider.
How to invest
How to buy Impossible Foods stock
You can't yet buy shares of Impossible Foods in a brokerage account because it's not a publicly traded company. However, accredited investors (i.e., high-net-worth individuals or those with high incomes) can sometimes buy pre-IPO shares of companies like Impossible Foods on secondary platforms like Equity Bee or Forge Global.
Unaccredited investors must wait for the company's IPO to buy shares. In the meantime, they can consider alternative food stocks. Here are three top Impossible Foods alternatives investors can buy right now:
Beyond Meat
Beyond Meat is a leading plant-based meat company. It designs products that have the same taste and texture as animal-based meat. The company generated almost $250 million in revenue through the first nine months of 2024. However, that was down $20 million compared to the prior year period, and it has yet to turn the corner on profitability. On a more positive note, Beyond Meat continues to launch innovative new products as it seeks to grow its revenue and reach.
Oatly
Oatly (OTLY -0.58%) is the world's largest oat milk company. It has developed a portfolio of dairy alternatives, including milks, ice cream, yogurt, cooking creams, spreads, and drinks. The company generated $609 million in revenue during the first nine months of 2024, although it also isn't yet profitable. Oatly continues to launch innovative products as it seeks to grow its revenue and eventually start earning consistent profits.
Tyson
Tyson (TSN -0.53%) is one of the world's largest food companies focused on protein. It has a large portfolio of well-known meat product brands, including Tyson, Jimmy Dean, Hillshire Farm, and Ball Park. Tyson also has a plant-based protein brand, Raised & Rooted. In addition, Tyson has partnered with leading global insect ingredients company Protix to support its global expansion of sustainable protein production.
People who want to buy one of these Impossible Foods alternatives can purchase shares in any brokerage account. Here's a step-by-step guide to investing in these food stocks.
- Step 1: Open a brokerage account: You'll have to open and fund a brokerage account before buying shares of any company. If you still need to open one, here are some of the best-rated brokers and trading platforms. Take your time researching the brokers to find the best one for you.
- Step 2: Figure out your budget: Before making your first trade, you'll need to determine how much money you want to invest. You'll then want to decide how to allocate that money. The Motley Fool's investing philosophy recommends building a diversified portfolio of 25 or more stocks you plan to hold for at least five years. You don't have to get there on the first day. For example, if you have $1,000 available to start investing, you might want to begin by allocating that money equally across at least 10 stocks and then grow from there.
- Step 3: Do your research: It's essential to thoroughly research a company before buying its shares. You should learn about how it makes money, its competitors, its balance sheet, and other factors to make sure you have a solid grasp of whether the company can grow value for its shareholders over the long term.
- Step 4: Place an order: Once you've opened and funded a brokerage account, set your investing budget, and researched the stock, it's time to buy shares. The process is relatively straightforward. Go to your brokerage account's order page and fill out all the relevant information, including:
- The number of shares you want to buy (or the amount you want to invest to purchase fractional shares).
- The stock ticker (BYND for Beyond Meat, OTLY for Oatly, or TSN for Tyson).
- Whether you want to place a limit order or a market order. The Motley Fool recommends using a market order since it guarantees you buy shares immediately at the market price.
Once you complete the order page, click to submit your trade and become a shareholder of one of these Impossible Foods alternatives.
Investors would follow a similar process to buy an IPO stock like Impossible Foods when it goes public. Once shares become available, select Impossible Foods' chosen stock ticker to buy shares through your brokerage account.
Profitability
Is Impossible Foods profitable?
The pre-IPO Impossible Foods doesn't need to publicly disclose its financial results. As a result, there isn't much publicly available data on its revenue or profitability.
However, the company's CEO, Peter McGuinness, stated in an interview in mid-2024 that the company wasn't yet profitable. That lack of profit came despite the company's efforts to reduce costs by cutting its workforce. The company has battled reduced demand for plant-based meat and business inefficiencies. On a positive note, it has more than enough cash to run its business, so it has time to get into the black.
The company would need to be on the road to profitability to make it a compelling investment opportunity when it goes public.
Should I invest?
Should I invest in Impossible Foods?
Impossible Foods is still a private company, so only accredited investors can buy shares. That gives other investors lots of time to do their research to determine if they want to purchase shares when Impossible Foods launches its IPO. Here are some reasons why you might want to buy shares of Impossible Foods:
- You love Impossible Foods' products and want to invest directly in the company that makes them.
- You believe plant-based meat alternatives will capture a larger share of the $1.4 trillion global protein market.
- You like that the company's products can help lower carbon emissions.
- You think Impossible Foods can grow its revenue rapidly and eventually start generating a consistent profit.
- You understand the risks, including that IPO stocks of unprofitable companies can be highly volatile and lose money.
On the other hand, here are some reasons why you might choose not to invest in Impossible Foods stock:
- You don't really like plant-based protein products.
- You prefer rival Beyond Meat's products.
- You think plant-based protein is a fad.
- You don't think Impossible Foods will ever become a profitable business.
ETF options
ETFs with exposure to Impossible Foods
Because Impossible Foods isn't a publicly traded company, you can't get passive exposure through an exchange-traded fund (ETF).
Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF)
However, investors interested in the company can gain exposure to other food stocks via ETFs focused on the future of food. Here are some of the top options to consider:
- Global X AgTech & Food Innovation ETF (KROP -1.21%): This ETF seeks to invest in companies advancing innovation and technology usage in the agricultural and food sectors, including vertical farming, hydroponics, and protein/dairy alternatives. The ETF held shares of 29 companies in early 2025, including Beyond Meat (1.4% of the fund's holdings) and Oatly (1.7%). It had an ETF expense ratio of 0.51%.
- VegTech Plant-Based Innovation & Climate ETF (EATV 0.43%): This ETF focuses on companies using plant-based ingredients to make animal-free products. The fund held shares of 39 companies in early 2025, including Beyond Meat (0.1% of the fund's holdings) and Oatly (0.3%). The ETF had an expense ratio of 0.76%.
The bottom line on Impossible Foods
Impossible Foods has a massive opportunity to disrupt the global animal protein market. It could grow its revenue rapidly as it takes market share and launches new products, eventually enabling the company to earn a healthy profit.
However, its public market rivals have struggled to capitalize on the opportunity. Investors need to carefully consider whether they want to invest in Impossible Foods when it goes public in the future.
FAQ
Investing in Impossible Foods FAQ
Can I buy Impossible Foods stock?
Impossible Foods isn't a publicly traded company, so most investors can't buy shares. However, some platforms like EquityBee and Forge Global allow accredited investors (i.e., those with a high income or high net worth) to purchase pre-IPO shares on their secondary platform.
Is Impossible Foods going to go public?
Impossible Foods didn't have plans to go public as of early 2025. The company didn't think that was the best idea for its current investors due to market conditions. While an IPO is on the table, the company could also consider a sale to a larger food company in the coming years.
How much is the Impossible Foods IPO worth?
Impossible Foods had yet to set an IPO price as of early 2025. The company last raised money in 2021 at a $7 billion valuation. However, the values of its publicly traded competitors and other private companies have fallen significantly since then. Impossible Foods' IPO value would likely be significantly less than its post-money value from 2021 if the company completed one in the current market environment.
