Trending Now - Beyond Meat Rebrands, Shifts Focus to Plant-based Snacks and Drinks
WHO:
Beyond Meat, rebranded as Beyond The Plant Protein Co. or simply Beyond
Ethan Brown, President and CEO of Beyond, founded the company in 2009
Chris Costagli, food thought leader at NIQ
Other companies mentioned: Eat Just, Impossible Foods, Silk
WHAT:
Beyond Meat is dropping “meat” from its name and expanding into plant-based drinks and snacks
Introduced a sparkling protein drink called Beyond Immerse in January 2026
Plans to release a protein bar in summer 2026
Company’s net revenue dropped 14% in the first nine months of 2025
Shares have been trading below $1 since the start of 2026
U.S. retail sales of plant-based meat have fallen 26% over the last two years
Introduced Beyond Ground, a product with four ingredients: faba bean protein, potato protein, psyllium husk, and water
WHERE:
El Segundo, California, where Beyond is based
Products are popular in Europe, found on McDonald’s menus
WHEN:
Rebranding occurred in March 2026
Beyond Immerse was introduced in January 2026
Plans for the protein bar release in summer 2026
Company founded in 2009
Sales peaked in 2020
WHY:
The rebranding is a response to declining U.S. sales of plant-based alternatives to meat
Consumer demand for protein is increasing, prompting a pivot in product offerings
Customers are scrutinizing labels, leading to struggles for plant-based brands
HOW:
Changed website and social media channels to reflect the new branding
Focus on products that showcase plants, such as chickpea sausages and faba bean strips
New products are currently available online through a website called Beyond Test Kitchen, with plans to eventually distribute in stores
QUOTES:
Ethan Brown: “For me, it is an opportunity to reshape the company around very real food that is directly from plants.”
Chris Costagli: “There’s a lot of fillers and gums and texturizers and things that give those products a more familiar feel.”
Ethan Brown: “Hopefully, at some point people will say, 'Wait a minute, how did we get here, where protein taken from red lentils, peas and brown rice and oil taken from avocado and mixed together into a burger is somehow not good for you?'”
Ethan Brown: “It's just not the moment for plant-based meat right now.”
Beyond Meat, now rebranded as Beyond The Plant Protein Co., is making a significant shift by dropping "meat" from its name and expanding into plant-based drinks and snacks, including a new sparkling protein drink called Beyond Immerse launched in January 2026. Founded in 2009 by Ethan Brown, the company is responding to a 14% drop in net revenue over the first nine months of 2025 and a 26% decline in U.S. retail sales of plant-based meat over the last two years, prompting a focus on products that highlight whole plant ingredients. As part of this rebranding effort, Beyond is also planning to release a protein bar in summer 2026, with new offerings already available online through their Beyond Test Kitchen.