Beyond faux meat

I still vividly remember Beyond Meat's fast-food-themed booth at a previous Expo West show, mocked up in yellow and red to look like a McDonald's counter, seven or so years ago.

Why it matters: There were doubts about whether a highly processed, plant-based meat alternative could be a satisfying replacement for the real thing, let alone appear in a McDonald's, yet that's exactly what is happening.

Between the lines: The plant-based meat alternative industry is about to take a much bigger bite out of the food category because some of the newest products are not just better than the plant-based products that have come before, they are even tastier than their meat counterparts.

• The Very Good Food Company, the publicly listed Canadian parent of The Very Good Butchers, is another player in the space that is currently on the hunt for acquisitions (and makes a lip-smacking BBQ beef that goes well with coleslaw).

The bottom line: While Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods grab most of the headlines, keep your eye on up-and-coming brands such as Omni Foods and The Very Good Butchers in terms of products and deal-making.