A Burger Made From Fresh Cantaloupe? Yes, It’s ‘Possible’
May 14, 2024 
Meet the meatless cantaloupe burger (aka, the “Possible Burger). California Cantaloupe Advisory Board is excited for its new, fresh concept. Would you try it?
Image courtesy of California Cantaloupe Advisory Board/Instagram
Plant-based burgers have grown to maturity the last few years since bursting on the scene. In case you hadn’t noticed, the meatless food trend penetrated menus of some of the most unlikely eateries, including Chick-Fil-A, Burger King, McDonald’s, and more. So, just when you think it’s “Impossible” to beef up this meatless craze, think again. Last week at the International Fresh Produce Association’s Consumer Connection Conference, the California Cantaloupe Advisory Board (CCAB) introduced its new concept — the “Possible Burger” — a meatless burger made from fresh cantaloupe.
As part of of the conference, attendees consumed shared data showing Gen Z folks are more health-focused than other generations. So, the market demand is there for those with meatless in mind.
Enter Will Horowitz, the creator of the cantaloupe burger. He is an acclaimed New York-based chef, food writer, and culinary consultant that has a flair for creating unique dishes that turn into social media sensations. In other words, he has the right chops to take the cantaloupe burger concept to new levels.
“This is exactly why we tapped Chef Horowitz who has developed a series of interesting meatless options using fresh produce like prosciutto made from radishes, hot dogs from carrots, and even a watermelon ham,” says Marilyn Freeman, Farmers Communication Exchange, which serves as the PR firm for the CCAB.
The stage was set for produce industry members and influencers at event to try the cantaloupe burger. Check out reactions in the social media post below.
“With items like the cantaloupe burger, we can take whole vegetables and whole fruits and prepare them using old processes like smoking, barbecuing, and grilling,” Horowitz says. “For us, that’s much more of a natural route than taking something that is over-processed or created in some sort of laboratory and really isn’t in the same ethos as a farm-to-table restaurant.”
According to Horowitz, the cantaloupe burger was created so consumers can look at this fruit in a completely new, reimagined way.
“The cantaloupe burger came about simply because of how much moisture was in the melon and how delicious they are from the start,” he says. “We started by taking slightly under ripe cantaloupe, curing it and smoking it, so that when you bit into it, it wasn’t too sweet. I wouldn’t say it’s a replica of a burger. It’s really its own beautiful thing.”
The recipe for the “Possible Burger” is posted on CCAB’s website.
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