In a sign that plant-based burgers are increasingly as satisfying as ones with real meat, professional food testers in Germany - a country known for its love of meat - now say that vegan burger patties are outperforming their meat counterparts overall.
Testers with German consumer organization Stiftung Warentest tested 20 patties (10 beef, 10 vegan) on sale in supermarket fridge and freezer aisles for flavour, texture, bacteria and other health factors.
Their conclusion: Only three of the 10 products that they rated as good were made from real meat. The other seven were plant-based.
The findings, published in the June 2026 issue of the organization's magazine, show that the top three patties were vegan (Aldi's My Vay American Style, the Garden Gourmet Sensational Burger and the Beyond Burger). Stiftung Warentest found that the Beyond Burger "tastes absolutely excellent," but also had praise for the top-rated beef product.
The testers identified three reasons for the better performance of the plant-based products:
- Less fat: On average they contain only half as much fat as their meat equivalents and fewer calories.
- Better results: They also scored better on frying quality, seasoning and juiciness.
- No bacteria: And all vegan patties passed microbial and contaminant checks without any objections.
Stiftung Warentest also highlighted sustainability advantages on the side of the plant-based patties, noting: "They have a significantly better carbon footprint than beef patties. The main reason: cattle farming produces large amounts of greenhouse gases."
What testers found lacking in some beef patties
The poorer performance of the beef patties was not, however, primarily down to sustainability concerns — the testers' main criticism was a prevalence of mediocrity.
Taste tests on fresh patties near the end of their shelf life revealed some flaws, including off-odours. Testers reported lactic and musty notes and, in one case, a barn-like smell that may have originated from the seasoning.
The frozen beef varieties were found to be palatable but in some cases contained unwanted bacteria, including coliform bacteria and antibiotic-resistant strains. The affected patties nonetheless received an overall rating of satisfactory, as the bacteria can be rendered harmless by thorough heating. — by Claudia Wittke-Gaida/dpa
