Beyond Meat to drop ‘Meat’ from its name

USA – Plant-based food company Beyond Meat is reportedly changing its corporate name to ‘Beyond’ as it prepares to release its second-quarter results.

CEO Ethan Brown revealed the shift in an interview with Fast Company, indicating the firm’s goal is no longer just about replicating animal-based meat.

He said the focus is turning to plant proteins as standalone ingredients that can be incorporated into meals in different forms.

Brown explained that rather than aiming to substitute meat directly, the company wants to help people replace a portion of their daily protein intake with plant-based options.

The publication suggested that the rebranding could signal a broader change in strategy, one that gives more weight to plant proteins without necessarily trying to imitate meat.

However, Beyond is not planning to remove any of its current products from the market.

The company has not officially confirmed the details of the name change, though Just Food has reached out for clarification.

Sales slow down as losses continue

Global interest in plant-based meat has cooled, with sales growth either stagnating or falling in many countries.

Consumer hesitation is frequently tied to concerns about overly processed ingredients, long labels, and prices that remain higher than conventional meat.

Beyond is announcing its new direction just days before it releases Q2 results for 2025.

During the first quarter, the company posted a net loss of US$52.9 million, a slight improvement from the US$54.4 million loss in the same period last year.

Adjusted EBITDA losses deepened to US$42.3 million, compared to US$32.9 million in Q1 2024.

Sales dropped 9.1 percent to US$68.7 million, following an 18 percent decline to US$75.6 million a year earlier.

For the upcoming second quarter, Brown had forecast revenue between US$80 million and US$85 million, lower than the US$93.2 million posted in Q2 2024.

International foodservice revenue in Q1 rose 12.1 percent to US$15.3 million, while retail sales edged up just 0.8 percent to US$12.7 million.

New products signal stripped-back ingredients

Despite persistent financial losses, Brown insists the company is on a path to profitability.

He dismissed the criticism that plant-based meats are over processed, calling it an outdated narrative pushed by meat industry players.

To address such concerns, the firm is launching a new product, Beyond Ground, in August, which will be made using only four ingredients: fava beans, water, potato starch, and psyllium husk.

Brown hinted that future launches could include products like lentil sausages or chickpea-based hot dogs.

Beyond Meat, which debuted on Nasdaq in 2019, has never reported an annual profit and hasn’t posted positive EBITDA since 2020.

Its stock recently traded at US$3.04, down over 50 percent since the start of the year and far from its 2020 peak above US$100.

Sign up HERE to receive our email newsletters with the latest news and insights from Africa and around the world, and follow us on our WhatsApp channel for updates.