How Beyond Meat is trying to get its sizzle back
LA TimesA package of Beyond Meat’s new burger, which contains less saturated fat and sodium than previous versions. “We thought we were just gonna go from our meteoric rise into the mainstream and not have to deal with this cycle that we’re in,” said Beyond Meat founder and Chief Executive Ethan Brown in an interview at the company’s new El Segundo offices. “The trough has been a difficult place to be the last couple of years.” Beyond Meat’s headquarters in El Segundo. Though both companies laid off workers amid the industry’s downturn, Impossible has seen strong retail sales and claims it is “the fastest-growing meat from plants brand” in the country. Though Brown’s goal has been to achieve pricing parity with animal meat, he said Beyond’s customers — health-conscious and concerned about the environmental issues surrounding the beef industry — have been found to be “price-insensitive.” The fundamental challenge for Beyond, he said, is turning around the wider perception that its plant-based meat is not good for you.