How to Buy Impossible Foods Stock Before the IPO

Impossible Foods made the plant-based Impossible Burger a household name—sold at Burger King, Walmart, and thousands of restaurants. The company was valued at $7 billion and filed confidentially for an IPO in 2022. Investors were ready to pile in.

Then everything changed. The company withdrew its IPO. Its competitor Beyond Meat collapsed 99% from peak. Impossible laid off 20% of its workforce. The plant-based meat revolution that seemed inevitable in 2021 has become one of the market’s most dramatic cautionary tales.

The short answer: you cannot buy Impossible Foods stock. The company remains private with no confirmed secondary market availability, no IPO timeline, and a sector that public markets have thoroughly rejected. Even if you could access shares, the Beyond Meat disaster should give any investor serious pause.

This guide explains why Impossible Foods became inaccessible, what happened to the plant-based meat thesis, and what alternatives exist—if any.

Quick Summary

What Is Impossible Foods?

Impossible Foods was founded in 2011 by Patrick O. Brown, a Stanford biochemist who left academia to tackle climate change through food. His insight: animal agriculture produces more greenhouse gases than all transportation combined. The solution: create plant-based meat so good that meat-eaters would switch voluntarily.

The company’s signature product, the Impossible Burger, uses heme—a molecule found in blood that gives meat its distinctive taste—derived from soy plants. This scientific approach differentiated Impossible from earlier veggie burgers that never fooled anyone.

Key Milestones:

• 2016: Impossible Burger debuts at high-end restaurants
• 2019: Burger King launches Impossible Whopper nationwide
• 2020: Walmart, Kroger, and major grocery chains begin stocking Impossible products
• 2021: Peak valuation of approximately $7 billion
• 2022: Files confidentially for IPO, then withdraws
• 2023: Lays off 20% of workforce

The company has raised over $1.3 billion across 12 funding rounds from investors including Google Ventures, Khosla Ventures, Temasek Holdings, and Bill Gates.

Current Leadership:

• Peter McGuinness — CEO (former Chobani executive)
• Dennis Woodside — President
• Patrick O. Brown — Founder (stepped back from day-to-day operations)

Can You Buy Impossible Foods Stock?

No—and the path to ownership has become more uncertain, not less.

For Accredited Investors: Major secondary market platforms show no confirmed Impossible Foods availability:

Unlike companies like SpaceX or Stripe that maintain active secondary markets, Impossible Foods shares simply aren’t trading. The combination of withdrawn IPO plans, workforce reductions, and sector-wide pessimism has frozen any secondary activity.

For Retail Investors: No direct access exists. The public market alternative—Beyond Meat—offers exposure to the plant-based meat thesis, but its stock performance should inform any investment decision.

The Beyond Meat Warning

Before considering any plant-based meat investment, you need to understand what happened to Beyond Meat.

Beyond Meat (BYND) went public in May 2019 at $25 per share. The stock soared to $234.90 by July 2019—a 10x return in two months. Analysts predicted plant-based meat would capture 10-25% of the traditional meat market. The future seemed obvious.

Then reality intervened:

What Went Wrong:

1. Consumer adoption stalled. Initial curiosity didn’t translate to repeat purchases. Many consumers tried plant-based meat once and returned to traditional options.

2. Price premium persisted. Plant-based products cost 2-3x more than conventional meat, limiting mainstream adoption.

3. Health halo faded. Consumers realized Impossible Burgers and Beyond Burgers were highly processed foods, not health foods.

4. Competition intensified. Every major food company launched plant-based lines, commoditizing the category.

5. Restaurant partnerships disappointed. McDonald’s McPlant burger failed and was discontinued. Burger King’s Impossible Whopper became a niche item.

Beyond Meat’s market cap fell from $14 billion to under $200 million. The stock trades below $3—less than a single Impossible Burger costs at most restaurants.

Why This Matters for Impossible Foods: Impossible Foods faces identical market dynamics. If public markets have valued Beyond Meat at $200 million, Impossible’s private valuation of $7 billion looks increasingly disconnected from reality.

Why the IPO Disappeared

Impossible Foods filed confidentially for an IPO in 2022, planning to capitalize on its brand strength and retail expansion. The company reportedly targeted a valuation of $10 billion or more.

The filing was withdrawn as market conditions deteriorated:

• Beyond Meat’s collapse made plant-based meat IPOs toxic to investors
• Rising interest rates crushed valuations for unprofitable growth companies
• Consumer spending shifts reduced appetite for premium food products
• The company’s own challenges including layoffs signaled operational stress

Current IPO Status: No timeline. The company has not refiled or indicated when—or if—it will pursue public markets again.

What Would Need to Change:

• Demonstrated path to profitability
• Beyond Meat stock recovery (or at least stabilization)
• Renewed consumer enthusiasm for plant-based products
• Favorable IPO market conditions

None of these conditions exist currently.

Accredited Investor Requirements

If Impossible Foods shares ever become available on secondary markets, you’ll need accredited investor status. The SEC defines accredited investors as individuals meeting at least one criterion:

Income Test:

• $200,000+ annual income for the past two years (individual), OR
• $300,000+ combined with spouse
• Reasonable expectation of the same income this year

Net Worth Test:

• $1 million+ net worth, excluding primary residence

Professional Credentials:

• Series 7, 65, or 82 licenses

Reality Check: Even with accredited status, there’s no guarantee Impossible shares will become available. The company’s uncertain trajectory has eliminated secondary market interest.

Alternatives for Retail Investors

If you still believe in plant-based meat despite the sector’s challenges, here are your options:

1. Beyond Meat (BYND) — The Direct Play

Beyond Meat is Impossible Foods’ closest public comparable. At ~$3 per share, the stock has been decimated—but some contrarian investors see opportunity in the wreckage.

The Bull Case:

• Stock price reflects maximum pessimism
• Brand awareness remains high
• International expansion continues
• Any sector recovery would benefit BYND first

The Bear Case:

• Company burning cash with no profitability path
• Debt load concerning relative to market cap
• Consumer trends moving against plant-based meat
• Competition from every major food company

Verdict: Only for investors with high risk tolerance who believe the plant-based thesis will eventually prove correct. This is speculation, not investment.

2. Traditional Food Companies with Plant-Based Divisions

Major food companies have plant-based product lines without betting the entire company on the category:

Advantage: These companies can abandon plant-based lines if they fail without threatening the core business. You’re not making an all-or-nothing bet.

Disadvantage: Plant-based represents a tiny fraction of these companies’ revenue. Even if the sector recovers, the impact on your investment would be minimal.

3. Wait and Watch

Given sector dynamics, the most rational approach may be patience:

• Wait for Impossible Foods IPO — If it ever happens, you’ll have access to audited financials and market-based pricing
• Wait for sector recovery — If plant-based meat regains momentum, opportunities will emerge
• Wait for clarity — The next 2-3 years will reveal whether plant-based meat is a failed trend or a premature revolution

Valuation History

Impossible Foods raised aggressively during the plant-based boom:

Total Raised: $1.3+ billion across 12 rounds

The Valuation Problem: Impossible’s last known valuation of ~$7 billion was set in 2020, before:

• Beyond Meat collapsed 99%
• The company laid off 20% of staff
• The IPO was withdrawn
• Consumer enthusiasm waned

If Impossible Foods raised money today, the valuation would likely be dramatically lower. Some analysts estimate the company might be worth $1-2 billion in current market conditions—a 70-85% decline from peak.

Risks of Investing in Impossible Foods

Even if you could access shares, significant risks exist:

Liquidity Risk: There Is No Exit

With no secondary market and no IPO timeline, any Impossible Foods investment would be completely illiquid. You cannot sell. Period. This could mean holding shares for 5-10+ years with no ability to exit.

Valuation Risk: The Market Has Spoken

Beyond Meat’s collapse represents the market’s verdict on plant-based meat valuations. Impossible’s private valuation hasn’t been tested by public markets, but the Beyond Meat precedent suggests a severe correction would occur if shares ever traded publicly.

Sector Risk: The Thesis May Be Wrong

The plant-based meat investment thesis assumed:

• Consumers would switch from traditional meat at scale
• Price premiums would decline with scale
• Health and environmental concerns would drive adoption

All three assumptions have proven optimistic. Consumer trials haven’t converted to loyal customers. Prices remain elevated. And many consumers have concluded that highly processed plant-based products aren’t meaningfully healthier than meat.

Company-Specific Risks

• Layoffs indicate stress: 20% workforce reduction in 2023 suggests cash preservation, not growth investment
• Leadership changes: Founder stepped back; new CEO from Chobani faces turnaround challenge
• Competition: Every major food company now competes in plant-based
• No profitability: Company has never been profitable and path to profitability unclear

The Bottom Line

Impossible Foods represents one of the most cautionary investment stories in recent memory—not because the company failed, but because the entire sector thesis collapsed while the company remained private.

If you’re an accredited investor: There’s no confirmed way to access shares, and even if there were, the Beyond Meat precedent should give you serious pause. A $7 billion private valuation looks disconnected from a world where Beyond Meat trades at $200 million market cap.

If you’re a retail investor: Beyond Meat (BYND) offers public market exposure to the plant-based thesis, but the stock has fallen 99% from peak. Only invest what you can afford to lose entirely.

If you believe in plant-based meat long-term: Consider waiting. If the sector recovers, opportunities will emerge. If it doesn’t, you’ll have avoided significant losses.

The Impossible Burger may still be a good product. Impossible Foods may still be a viable company. But as an investment, the plant-based meat sector has become a cautionary tale about the gap between compelling narratives and sustainable business models.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you buy Impossible Foods stock?

No. Impossible Foods is a private company with no public stock and no confirmed secondary market availability. The company withdrew its IPO filing in 2022 and has not announced new public offering plans.

Is Impossible Foods publicly traded?

No. Impossible Foods remains privately held. The company filed confidentially for an IPO in 2022 but withdrew the filing amid deteriorating market conditions for plant-based meat companies.

How much is Impossible Foods worth?

Impossible Foods was last valued at approximately $7 billion in its 2020 funding round. However, given Beyond Meat’s 99% stock decline and Impossible’s own workforce reductions, the current valuation is likely significantly lower—potentially $1-2 billion based on sector comparables.

When will Impossible Foods IPO?

There is no announced timeline. The company withdrew its 2022 IPO filing and has not indicated when or if it will pursue public markets again. Given sector challenges, an IPO within the next 3-5 years appears unlikely.

What happened to Beyond Meat stock?

Beyond Meat (BYND) stock has fallen from a peak of $234.90 in July 2019 to approximately $3 currently—a 99% decline. The collapse reflects slowing consumer adoption of plant-based meat, persistent price premiums, and competition from traditional food companies.

Should I invest in Beyond Meat instead of waiting for Impossible Foods?

Beyond Meat offers public market exposure to the plant-based meat thesis, but the stock’s 99% decline reflects serious fundamental challenges. Only invest in BYND if you have high risk tolerance and believe the sector will eventually recover. Most investors should avoid the sector entirely until clearer signs of turnaround emerge.

Sources

• Wikipedia: “Impossible Foods” — Company history and funding rounds
• TechCrunch: “Impossible Foods planning to lay off 20% of staff” (January 2023)
• SEC: Accredited Investor Definition, Rule 501
• Yahoo Finance: Beyond Meat (BYND) stock data
• Hiive: Platform marketplace
• EquityZen: Platform documentation
• Forge Global: Platform marketplace