As Demand for Plant-Based Meat Weakens in the US, Beyond Disappoints Wall Street (msn.com)
(Monday August 11, 2025 @04:21AM (EditorDavid)
from the don't-have-a-cow-man dept.)
- Reference: 0178639730
- News link: https://science.slashdot.org/story/25/08/11/068247/as-demand-for-plant-based-meat-weakens-in-the-us-beyond-disappoints-wall-street
- Source link: https://www.msn.com/en-ca/money/topstories/beyond-meat-misses-quarterly-revenue-estimates-as-plant-based-demand-weakens/ar-AA1K2F8T
Wedneday Beyond Meat "missed Wall Street estimates for second-quarter revenue," [1]reports Reuters .
> "Consumers' growing concerns about processed foods are severely diminishing the appeal of Beyond Meat's product line, causing retailers and quick service restaurants to pull back sharply on orders," Rachel Wolff, analyst at Emarketer, said.
>
> Retail sales of refrigerated plant-based meat alternative products in the U.S. have fallen 17.2% so far this year, and frozen plant-based meat alternatives have fallen 8.1%, according to data from SPINS... [Beyond's] revenue for the quarter ended June 28 fell nearly 20% to $75 million, compared with analysts' average estimate of $82 million, according to data compiled by LSEG.
While the company arguably invented a new market for plant-based meat substitutes, it also "owns no real intellectual property," [2]argues The Street . "And every company in the meat and grocery business (more or less) now sells a take-off of a product that already had limited appeal..."
> Beyond Meat has admitted it's in trouble by hiring corporate restructuring expert John Boken from consultancy AlixPartners as interim chief transformation officer [with a focus that includes "operating expense reduction" and "broader operational efficiency"]. It has also let go of 44 employees in North America (6% of its global workforce) as it seeks to cut operating expenses amid disappointing sales... Beyond Meat also has a significant cash problem. As of June 28, 2025, Beyond Meat's cash and cash equivalents balance was $117.3 million, and total outstanding debt was $1.2 billion. The company does have time to fend off a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, but it also has limited, if any, prospects to meet its impending cash needs.
[1] https://www.msn.com/en-ca/money/topstories/beyond-meat-misses-quarterly-revenue-estimates-as-plant-based-demand-weakens/ar-AA1K2F8T
[2] https://www.thestreet.com/restaurants/beyond-meat-is-headed-to-chapter-11-bankruptcy
> "Consumers' growing concerns about processed foods are severely diminishing the appeal of Beyond Meat's product line, causing retailers and quick service restaurants to pull back sharply on orders," Rachel Wolff, analyst at Emarketer, said.
>
> Retail sales of refrigerated plant-based meat alternative products in the U.S. have fallen 17.2% so far this year, and frozen plant-based meat alternatives have fallen 8.1%, according to data from SPINS... [Beyond's] revenue for the quarter ended June 28 fell nearly 20% to $75 million, compared with analysts' average estimate of $82 million, according to data compiled by LSEG.
While the company arguably invented a new market for plant-based meat substitutes, it also "owns no real intellectual property," [2]argues The Street . "And every company in the meat and grocery business (more or less) now sells a take-off of a product that already had limited appeal..."
> Beyond Meat has admitted it's in trouble by hiring corporate restructuring expert John Boken from consultancy AlixPartners as interim chief transformation officer [with a focus that includes "operating expense reduction" and "broader operational efficiency"]. It has also let go of 44 employees in North America (6% of its global workforce) as it seeks to cut operating expenses amid disappointing sales... Beyond Meat also has a significant cash problem. As of June 28, 2025, Beyond Meat's cash and cash equivalents balance was $117.3 million, and total outstanding debt was $1.2 billion. The company does have time to fend off a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, but it also has limited, if any, prospects to meet its impending cash needs.
[1] https://www.msn.com/en-ca/money/topstories/beyond-meat-misses-quarterly-revenue-estimates-as-plant-based-demand-weakens/ar-AA1K2F8T
[2] https://www.thestreet.com/restaurants/beyond-meat-is-headed-to-chapter-11-bankruptcy
There is no such thing (Score:2)
by 93 Escort Wagon ( 326346 )
as "plant based meat".
Re: There is no such thing (Score:2)
by simlox ( 6576120 )
Well, all meat is produced by plants in the first place. But to be meat an animal have to eat the plants first.
Looks like meat (Score:2)
by zawarski ( 1381571 )
is back on the menu, boys.
Face-plant-ed as expected (Score:2)
by devslash0 ( 4203435 )
It was obvious that the whole thing would collapse as soon as dietary reports started emerging left, right and centre that meat substitutes are significantly more unhealthy than the real thing. Has to do with all the chemical extras they need to add on to replicate texture and flavour.
The fuck did you expect. (Score:2)
by geekmux ( 1040042 )
Coming out with an alternative for meat, might have proven worthwhile. But then you tried to make and sell some shit that is actually worse for you to eat than actual meat.
Go figure the entire fucking point of it all, flopped.
Breaking news (Score:3)
Fad diet revealed to be instance of faddery.
Re: (Score:2)
As an omnivore, I don't mind a vegetarian option.
But why do we need to pretend with meat substitutes?
Options are the Problem, Not the Goal (Score:2)
> As an omnivore, I don't mind a vegetarian option.
>
> But why do we need to pretend with meat substitutes?
Because those pushing this do mind you having a meat option.
Re: (Score:1)
Hope you don't think this is pushy but raising cattle uses far more resources than plants. So a plant based burger would be more sustainable, efficient etc.
We don't see this as a lower price yet because, reasons, I don't know, maybe it's still in the early adopter stage/too soon.
I don't mind eating meat but the last beyond meat burger I had at a pub tasted better than their meat ones! So I'm positive about the option.
Re: (Score:2)
I'm really looking forward to the upcoming line of soylent-based burger patties!
Re: Options are the Problem, Not the Goal (Score:1)
Consider the lifespan of wild bison (15-20 years) against the typical lifespan of beef cattle (18-24 months). The national herd size of each may be roughly the same, but the beef cattle herd is renewing every couple of years.
Re: (Score:2)
> I don't mind eating meat but the last beyond meat burger I had at a pub tasted better than their meat ones!
This is definitely a YMMV depending on individual tastes thing. I actually think tacos (well, more accurately, Americanized tacos) made with Impossible beef are actually pretty good. I used to make them sometimes for dinner, but my partner eventually told me he'd given them as much of a chance as he could tolerate and it's just not something he'd want to keep eating. So, that was the end of that. Taco night ever since is now a purely 0xDEADBEEF affair.
To be fair, I put an ungodly amount of hot sauce on
Re: (Score:2)
Also I would expect the price to be considerably lower than its meat equivalent, while it's actually bigger. And it's the same reason I don't buy soy "milk" which costs sometimes here double the price of regular milk. Never mind one can easily make soy milk at home at a fraction of the price.
Re: (Score:2)
> Fad diet revealed to be instance of faddery.
Seems more like political herd mentality to me. Can't be a coincidence with the slowdown in EV sales and now meat substitutes too. If people were just suddenly more concerned over the healthfulness of their meals as you're suggesting, McDonald's would be in deep shit too.
Granted, another possibility is that with the current high cost of groceries, people who are splurging on meat probably figure if they're spending the cash, they may as well go for the real deal.
Re: Breaking news (Score:2)
But McDonald's is actually in deep shit right now.
Re: (Score:2)
> But McDonald's is actually in deep shit right now.
They were, [1]but have managed to turn their fortunes around with promotions. [nytimes.com] This points more towards economic reasons, rather than shifting dietary factors.
[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/06/business/mcdonalds-earnings-profit-sales.html