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Beyond Meat drops the ‘Meat’ from its name as it expands to plant-based drinks and snacks - AP News

🌱 Beyond Meat is rebranding to simply "Beyond" and dropping "Meat" from its corporate name as it pivots away from struggling plant-based meat products.

🥤 The company launched its first new product, a sparkling plant-protein drink called Beyond Immerse, in January 2026 at Expo West.

🍰 A protein bar is also scheduled for release later this summer to further expand the brand's portfolio into beverages and snacks.

📉 U.S. sales of plant-based meat alternatives have fallen 26% over the last two years, with Beyond's net revenue dropping 14% in the first nine months of 2025.

💻 Shares of the company have been trading below $1 since the start of this year due to flagging demand for plant-based burgers and sausages.

🏷️ The company rebranded its website, social media channels, and packaging to "Beyond The Plant Protein Co." to reflect its new direction.

🥗 CEO Ethan Brown stated the pivot aims to reshape the company around "very real food that is directly from plants" with simpler ingredients.

🚀 Competitors like Eat Just, Impossible Foods, and Silk are also pivoting to protein powders, breads, pastas, and dairy alternatives as demand for protein skyrockets.

🧪 NIQ analyst Chris Costagli notes customers are scrutinizing labels for unfamiliar ingredients, added sugars, or high sodium content, causing some brands to stumble.

🥩 Beyond recently reformulated its flagship burger in 2024 and introduced "Beyond Ground" with just four ingredients to appeal to health-conscious consumers.

🍟 New products like faba bean strips and chickpea sausages will increasingly replace meat-mimicking items as the company focuses on plant-forward recipes.

🧪 Some new products are currently exclusive to an online "Beyond Test Kitchen" to allow for rapid innovation and customer feedback collection.

🇪🇺 Plant-based burgers and nuggets remain popular in Europe, where they are found on McDonald's menus alongside domestic U.S. product lines.

🔮 CEO Ethan Brown maintains that plant-based meat will become a dominant choice over the next decade or two despite current market confusion.

⏳ The company acknowledges it must navigate the current period of confusion where consumer demand for traditional plant-based meats is temporarily low.

Bullish Signals
  • Beyond is pivoting from struggling plant-based meats to introduce new categories like sparkling plant-protein drinks and snacks, expanding its product portfolio.
  • The company rebranded as Beyond The Plant Protein Co. and introduced its first beverage, Beyond Immerse, in January, with a protein bar planned for release this summer.
  • Beyond has already revamped its flagship burger to be healthier in 2024 and introduced Beyond Ground with just four clean ingredients last summer.
  • CEO Ethan Brown believes plant-based meat will be a 'much more dominant choice' over the next decade or two, signaling long-term growth potential.
  • While challenging the current market environment, management is focusing on simplified ingredients to address consumer scrutiny of labels and additives.
  • Beyond's products remain popular in Europe, where burgers and nuggets are found on McDonald's menus, providing a strong international foothold.
Risk Factors
  • Beyond Meat's net revenue dropped 14% in the first nine months of 2025, reflecting significant sales struggles in its core business.
  • The company's shares have been trading below $1 since the start of this year, indicating severe market devaluation and loss of investor confidence.
  • U.S. retail sales of plant-based meat have plummeted by 26% over the last two years according to market research firm NIQ.
  • Consumers are increasingly scrutinizing product labels for unfamiliar ingredients, added sugars, or high sodium content, causing many products to stumble.
  • The company is pivoting away from its core plant-based burger, sausage, and tender categories, which remain struggling in the U.S. market.
  • New products like Beyond Ground and Beyond Immerse are currently only available online via a 'Beyond Test Kitchen' website, limiting immediate retail traction.
  • CEO Ethan Brown admitted it is 'not the moment for plant-based meat right now,' acknowledging a period of market confusion and headwinds.
  • While some progress has been made in Europe where products remain on McDonald's menus, U.S. sales are dragging the company down significantly.
Full Analysis
Beyond Meat is officially rebranding as Beyond The Plant Protein Co., dropping the word "meat" from its corporate and packaging name to reflect a strategic pivot away from the struggling plant-based burger market. Founded by Ethan Brown in 2009, the company unveiled this change alongside its new product line at the Natural Products Expo West 2026 on Thursday, March 5, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. The transition includes rebranding its website and social media channels to showcase a simplified ingredient list and a focus on "very real food that is directly from plants." Key to this new direction is Beyond Immerse, a sparkling plant-protein drink launched in January with flavors like Strawberry Lemonade, followed by plans to release a protein bar this summer. The name change and product expansion come amid significant financial headwinds for the industry. U.S. retail sales of plant-based meat have plummeted 26% over the last two years since peaking in 2020, causing Beyond's net revenue to drop 14% in the first nine months of 2025. Shares have traded below $1 since the start of the year as consumer scrutiny has led customers to avoid unfamiliar ingredients and high sodium content. Industry experts note that while the overall plant-based market faces challenges with complex formulations, simplified recipes using whole plant ingredients are helping some brands recover, particularly in dairy alternatives. Beyond aims to address these challenges by reformulating products to be healthier and simpler, such as its 2024 flagship burger revamp and Beyond Ground, which now contains only four ingredients and lacks the word "meat" on packaging. CEO Ethan Brown stated that the company is not abandoning plant-based meats entirely, noting they remain dominant in Europe where products are sold at chains like McDonald's, but plans to increasingly highlight products that showcase plants like chickpea sausages or faba bean strips. New innovations will currently be available online through the Beyond Test Kitchen to gather quick feedback before wider retail distribution, as the company navigates what Brown calls a "period of confusion" regarding plant-based meat while aiming to celebrate the benefits of the plant kingdom for consumers.