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Beyond Meat CEO Ethan Brown has said, “It’s just not the moment for plant-based meat,” following the company’s recent rebrand.
Beyond Meat rebranded as Beyond The Plant Protein Company last week, amid what Brown described as a “period of confusion” around plant-based proteins.
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In an interview by The Associated Press and published by Fortune, Brown said, “For me, it is an opportunity to reshape the company around very real food that is directly from plants. It’s about delivering all those benefits of the plant kingdom to the consumer in ways that they’re going to be able to easily integrate it into their lives.”
In a social media post about the long-awaited rebrand, Beyond wrote, “Welcome to Beyond The Plant Protein Company. A new chapter begins, rooted in the power of plants. Plants have superpowers. Our team is dedicated to unlocking and delivering them to you. We start at the farm with clean and simple, non-GMO ingredients like yellow peas, red lentils, and faba beans. We love clean protein and fiber. Protein supports muscle health, while fiber supports a healthy gut.”
‘It’s just not the moment for plant-based meat right now’
Brown told The Associated Press that he still believes plant-based meat could become a “much more dominant choice” in the coming years, but that Beyond has to navigate what he referred to as a “period of confusion” around plant-based foods.
Despite calls for “nuance,” alternative proteins have been under increasing scrutiny over their status as ultra-processed foods. A 2025 report by the UK government found no association between plant-based meat and adverse health outcomes. Meanwhile, research by PCRM found that more than one-third of Americans are unable to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy processed foods.
Brown said, “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?’”
“It’s just not the moment for plant-based meat right now,” he added.
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‘Why confine yourself to the center of the plate?’
Brown first revealed that Beyond would drop the word meat from its name in 2025.
The company introduced a new product, Beyond Ground, at the same time. Beyond Ground is nutrient-dense and made with just four ingredients. According to the company, Beyond Ground is not designed to emulate any one animal protein.
In January, Beyond launched its Immerse high-protein sparkling fruit drinks, and recently expanded the line to include four new flavors following a “strong consumer response.” Speaking to Fast Company last year, Brown said, “If you’re the best in the world at making plant proteins, why confine yourself to the centre of the plate?”
Both Beyond Ground and Beyond Immerse products are exclusively available from the company’s test kitchen. You can find out more here.
Read more: Beyond Expands High-Protein Sparkling Fruit Drink Range With 4 New Flavors
