EL SEGUNDO, CA — Plant-based meat leader Beyond Meat on Monday announced the next step forward in its innovation with the unveiling of two new versions of the Beyond Burger, which are expected to launch nationwide in early 2021. A trifecta of taste, health and sustainability, the new iterations are designed to meet consumers’ growing demand for plant-based proteins that deliver on both taste and nutrition, while featuring an enhanced meaty flavor and the craveable taste consumers love, with an even better nutritional profile.
Similar to the range of nutritional options of beef currently available in the marketplace, the two versions are designed to offer more choice for consumers. The new Beyond Burgers will include the brand’s juiciest patty for the meatiest burger experience even as it delivers strong nutritional wins relative to 80/20 beef with 35% less saturated fat, as well as its most nutritious patty yet with 55% less saturated fat than 80/20 beef. Both new burgers will boast the same savory taste profile, have lower overall fat and fewer calories than 80/20 beef, and have B vitamins and minerals comparable to the micronutrient profile of beef.
"I am personally thrilled to introduce this new Beyond Burger platform as it speaks so clearly to what our brand and company stands for,” said Ethan Brown, CEO and Founder, Beyond Meat. “Our commitment is to provide consumers with absolutely delicious plant-based meats that are better for people and the planet, no sacrifice required. These new iterations deliver on this promise, and I am immensely proud of our team’s ability to make such strong advances in taste, juiciness and nutrition through our Rapid and Relentless Innovation program. Just as you can find different varieties of ground beef, consumers will now have more choice to satisfy their individual nutritional needs and preferences."
Rapid and Relentless Approach to Innovation
Beyond Meat’s best-in-class approach to creating cutting-edge innovations, coupled with a firm commitment to using only simple plant-based inputs and no bioengineered ingredients, has established the company as a category leader. The company introduced the Beyond Burger in 2016, revolutionizing the category as the first plant-based burger designed to look, cook and taste like animal meat and sold in the meat case. The new Beyond Burger iterations are the latest in a pipeline of new product offerings in 2020 following Beyond Breakfast Sausage Patties, Cookout Classic, Beyond Meatballs and Beyond Breakfast Sausage Links. Beyond Meat sells products at approximately 122,000 retail and foodservice outlets in over 80 countries worldwide, including approximately 28,000 retail outlets in the U.S.
Commitment to Improving Human Health
Beyond Meat is committed to serving consumers’ growing demand for delicious, nutritious and sustainable protein with products that are simple and made from plants with no GMOs or bioengineered ingredients. Beyond Meat’s products do not contain many other elements, often found in animal protein, that have raised health or safety concerns, such as hormones, antibiotics, nitrates or heme iron, and the company is dedicated to supporting academic and scientific studies into the impacts of plant-based meats on health. The findings from a clinical study using Beyond Meat’s plant-based products were recently published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. In the study conducted at Stanford University, researchers evaluated the impact of replacing animal-based meat with Beyond Meat’s plant-based meats over an 8-week period on cholesterol levels (including LDL), heart disease risk factors including TMAO levels, and body weight, and found improvement in key health metrics when participants replaced animal-based meat with Beyond Meat’s plant-based meat. The results provide yet another data point in a growing field of research about how plant-based meat can help people live healthier lives.
Meat with a Lighter Environmental Footprint
The results of the Stanford University study complement the results of the University of Michigan’s 2018 LCA which showed that the original Beyond Burger, compared to producing a ¼ lb. standard 80/20 beef burger, has 99% less impact on water scarcity, 93% less impact on land use, requires 46% less energy and generates 90% less greenhouse gas emissions. To illustrate these benefits, the company launched its What if We All Go Beyond? brand anthem, inviting consumers to see how over time through small changes, such as what you put at the center of your plate, there can be a meaningful collective impact on human health and the health of our planet.
Exclusive Preview
Beyond Meat will host an exclusive preview in Los Angeles from Nov. 18-20 to unveil the new versions of the Beyond Burger.
