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  • Beyond Meat Rebrands To ‘beyond’, Pivots To Direct Plant-derived Proteins

    Beyond Meat Rebrands To ‘beyond’, Pivots To Direct Plant-derived Proteins

    Leading provider of plant-based alternative meat products, Beyond Meat, is set to rebrand itself as “Beyond.” This transition is part of the company’s efforts to expand its scope beyond meat substitutes and highlight its commitment to creating proteins derived directly from plants.

    Beyond’s initiative underpins the company’s strategy to construct its products directly from plant sources, rather than simulating meat-based products. This shift in brand identity comes in the wake of financial challenges encountered by the California-based enterprise, which the rebranding strategy could help overcome by opening up additional segments of the protein market for competition.

    To coincide with the rebranding, Beyond will introduce a new product known as Beyond Ground. Slated for release this month, Beyond Ground is positioned as a sustainable alternative to traditional ground beef. The product boasts a simple blend of nutritious ingredients, including fava beans, potato starch, water, and psyllium husk.

    The development and introduction of Beyond Ground align with consumer preferences for recognizable ingredients, straightforward production methods, and less emphasis on mimicking meat. According to Julian Cottee, Senior Corporate Engagement Manager at ProVeg International, aiding consumers in transitioning from predominantly meat-centric diets to more plant-based ones requires various tactics, one of which is offering products that bear familiar flavors and appearances.

    Cottee emphasizes the importance of options in facilitating such dietary transitions, stating, “The more options on the table, the better.”

    Questions & Answers

    Why is Beyond Meat rebranding itself as Beyond?
    The company is rebranding to reflect its commitment to creating proteins derived directly from plants, rather than just mimicking meat-based products. This strategy aims to help overcome the recent financial challenges faced by the company by tapping into new segments of the protein market.

    What is the new product that Beyond is launching?
    Beyond’s new product is called Beyond Ground, a sustainable alternative to traditional ground beef. It is made of simple and recognizable ingredients, including fava beans, potato starch, water, and psyllium husk.

    What is the significance of offering products that bear familiar flavors and appearances?
    Providing products that look and taste familiar can help facilitate consumers’ transition from a meat-heavy diet to a more plant-based one. The more options consumers have, the easier it is for them to make the switch.

  • Beyond Meat opens JD store, as Chinese remain wary of meat substitutes

    Beyond Meat opens JD store, as Chinese remain wary of meat substitutes

    Beyond Meat has launched an online store in China on e-commerce platform JD, as the plant-based meat maker aims to boost sales in the world’s biggest meat market, where consumer interest in meat alternatives is low.

    US-based Beyond Meat said the JD store will initially help expand the availability of its products in four major cities, including Beijing and Shanghai, and eventually in 300 cities across China.

    Its products are currently mainly available in China through its partnerships with Starbucks Corp, Yum China Holdings and Alibaba Group’s Freshippo markets.

    But expanding into the retail segment by selling on JD will help it reach a wider audience in the country, which is increasingly purchasing fresh food online.

    Online sales in China of fresh food, into which category Beyond Meat’s products fall, are expected to top US$46.4 billion this year, an increase of 18 percent from last year, according to consultancy iiMedia Research.

    Beyond Meat’s direct retail foray follows a similar move by Nestle in December, which launched a range of plant-based burgers, sausages, nuggets, and dishes suited to Chinese cooking.

    The push by global firms comes even as consumers in China are not exactly devouring plant-based meat.

    “Currently it is a solo dance by the manufacturers, the consumers are not joining the tango,” said Zhu Danpeng, an independent food industry analyst.

    A recent poll on Sina Weibo, China’s Twitter-like social media platform, found only 14 percent of 400 participants were willing to try plant-based meat.

    Chinese consumers are deterred by concerns over food safety as well as taste, said Zhu.

    Beyond Meat, which has set up its first manufacturing plant outside of the US in the eastern Chinese city of Jiaxing, near Shanghai, declined to comment on its sales in the market so far.

    A 454gm twin pack of plant-based beef will be sold at $32.50 on the company’s JD store. By comparison, 1kg of good quality domestic beef costs about $21.60 on JD’s fresh food platform.

    Beyond Meat is also adding Beyond Pork to its offering on JD, which has been created for the pork-loving Chinese market.

    It will also sell ingredients that are used in the cooking of local dishes such as stir-fry, dumplings, mapo tofu, zhajiang noodles and lion’s head meatballs to appeal to Chinese consumers.

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  • Beyond Meat and Coles launch plant-based meatballs

    Beyond Meat and Coles launch plant-based meatballs

    Beyond Meat has partnered with Coles to bring its plant-based meatballs into Australia.

    Beyond Meatballs will be sold across more than 300 Coles outlets with an RRP of $15. The launch comes at a time when the country is experiencing a rising demand for plant-based products.

    “We’ve seen demand for plant-based meat continue to grow as consumers look for new ways to incorporate plant-based meat options into their diets,” said Ihab Leheta, VP international business development at Beyond Meat.

    “The launch of Beyond Meatballs in Australia marks a new milestone towards our goal in making great-tasting, nutritious and sustainable plant-based meat more accessible to everyone,” said Leheta.

    Beyond Meatballs will join the brand’s existing plant-based products sold in Australia, Beyond Burger and Beyond Mince. Beyond Meat first launched its products in the country in 2018 in partnership with Coles.

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