History of Beyond Meat in Timeline

Beyond Meat, Inc., founded in 2009 by Ethan Brown, is a company that produces plant-based meat substitutes. Launching its first products in the U.S. in 2012, it gained prominence as a pioneer in the industry. In 2019, Beyond Meat became the first plant-based meat analogue company to go public, marking a significant milestone in the alternative protein sector.

2009: Ethan Brown's mission to combat climate change

In 2009, Ethan Brown founded Beyond Meat with the mission of combating climate change and contacted University of Missouri professors Fu-hung Hsieh and Harold Huff, who had been developing meatless protein since the 1980s.

2009: Beyond Meat Founded

In 2009, Ethan Brown founded Beyond Meat, Inc., a company focused on producing plant-based meat substitutes.

2012: Launch of Beyond Chicken Strips

In 2012, Beyond Meat launched its first product, Beyond Chicken Strips (originally called "Chicken-Free Strips"), at Whole Foods.

2012: Initial Product Launch in the United States

In 2012, Beyond Meat launched its initial line of products in the United States.

2012: First product launched

In 2012, Beyond Meat's first product was launched which emulated chicken and was sold frozen and licensed from Harold Huff and Fu-Hung Hsieh at the University of Missouri.

2013: Venture Funding Received

From 2013 onwards, Beyond Meat received venture funding from various sources including GreatPoint Ventures, Kleiner Perkins, Obvious Corporation, Bill Gates, Biz Stone, the Humane Society and Tyson Foods.

2013: National Expansion of Beyond Chicken Strips

In 2013, Beyond Meat expanded the distribution of Beyond Chicken Strips nationally.

2014: Development of Beyond Beef Crumbles

In 2014, Beyond Meat developed its first plant-based beef product, Beyond Beef Crumbles.

2014: Development of beef burger alternative

In 2014, the company announced that it had begun development of a new product emulating a beef burger, which was released in February 2015.

February 2015: Release of beef burger alternative

In February 2015, Beyond Meat released its new product emulating a beef burger, after announcing the development in 2014.

October 2016: Tyson Foods Purchases Stake in Beyond Meat

In October 2016, Tyson Foods purchased a 5% stake in Beyond Meat.

December 2017: Announcement of Vegan Pork Sausage Alternative

In December 2017, Beyond Meat announced a vegan alternative to pork sausage called "Beyond Sausage" with three varieties: "Brat", "Hot Italian", and "Sweet Italian".

2017: Switch to Different Suppliers

In 2017, Beyond Meat switched to different suppliers, with Don Lee Farms alleging that Beyond Meat then shared details about the manufacturing process. This switch prompted the civil suit filed in March 2019.

June 2018: Second Production Facility Opens

In June 2018, Beyond Meat opened its second production facility in Columbia, Missouri, resulting in a three-fold increase of the company's manufacturing space.

2018: Venture Financing Raised

By 2018, Beyond Meat had raised US$72 million in venture financing and gained backing from celebrity and athlete investors.

2018: R&D Lab Opened in El Segundo

In 2018, Beyond Meat opened a 26,000 square feet (2,400 m) R&D lab in El Segundo, California.

March 2019: Civil Suit Filed by Don Lee Farms

In March 2019, a civil suit was filed against Beyond Meat by its former business partner and supplier, Don Lee Farms.

April 2019: Tyson Foods Exits Investment in Beyond Meat

In April 2019, Tyson Foods sold its 6.5% stake and exited the investment in Beyond Meat ahead of the company's IPO.

May 2019: Beyond Meat's IPO

In May 2019, Beyond Meat went public, trading on the Nasdaq exchange under the symbol BYND, and the company was valued at $3.8 billion.

July 2019: Stock Price All-Time High

In July 2019, Beyond Meat set an all-time high stock price before falling 93% by September 2022.

July 2019: Dunkin' Donuts to Sell Breakfast Sandwiches with Meatless Sausage

In July 2019, Dunkin' Donuts announced that they would begin selling breakfast sandwiches using the Meatless Sausage product in Manhattan.

November 2019: Plans for National Distribution of Breakfast Sandwiches with Meatless Sausage

In November 2019, Dunkin' Donuts had plans for national distribution of breakfast sandwiches using the Meatless Sausage product after the announcement in July 2019.

2019: Introduction of Beyond Meatballs at Subway

In 2019, "Beyond Meatballs", a plant-based alternative to traditional meatballs, were first introduced at Subway through the Beyond Meatball Marinara sub.

2019: Discontinuation of Chicken Product

In 2019, Beyond Meat discontinued its chicken product after it was launched in 2012.

2019: Beyond Meat Goes Public

In 2019, Beyond Meat went public, becoming the first plant-based meat analogue company to do so.

September 2020: Rollout of Beyond Meatballs at Grocery Stores

In September 2020, Beyond Meat announced the rollout of Beyond Meatballs at select grocery stores across the U.S.

November 2020: Collaboration with McDonald's for McPlant

In November 2020, Beyond Meat announced a collaboration with McDonald's for the development of the McPlant option, a plant-based patty and chicken substitute.

November 2020: Sales Growth Slows

In November 2020, Beyond Meat announced that sales had only grown by 2% year-on-year compared to an expected increase of 40% due to the impact of COVID-19 on foodservice sales.

2020: Acquisition of Manufacturing Facility

In 2020, Beyond Meat acquired a manufacturing facility in Devault, Pennsylvania.

2020: Launch of E-Commerce Site

In 2020, Beyond Meat launched an e-commerce site to sell products directly to consumers.

January 2021: Joint Venture with PepsiCo Announced

Also in January 2021, Beyond Meat and PepsiCo announced a joint venture, called The PLANeT Partnership, to develop and market plant-based snacks and drinks.

January 2021: New Global Headquarters Announced

In January 2021, Beyond Meat announced that it would be opening a new global headquarters in El Segundo, CA later that year.

January 2021: Collaboration with Taco Bell

In January 2021, Taco Bell announced a collaboration with Beyond Meat, initially as a test and then as a permanent option for a new plant-based protein food.

February 2021: Partnership with McDonald's and Yum Brands

In February 2021, Beyond Meat started a partnership with McDonald's and Yum Brands to bring new plant-based choices to their menus.

February 2021: Testing of McPlant in Denmark and Sweden

In February 2021, testing of the McPlant, a plant-based patty and chicken substitute developed in collaboration with McDonald's, started in Denmark and Sweden.

June 2021: Market Cap of $9.44 Billion

As of June 2021, Beyond Meat had a market cap of $9.44 billion.

September 2021: Vegan Chicken Tenders in Retail Stores

In September 2021, Beyond Meat announced it would begin selling their vegan chicken tenders in retail stores, including Walmart.

2021: Full-Scale Production Begins in China

In 2021, Beyond Meat's first "end-to-end manufacturing facility" outside of the United States began full-scale production in Jiaxing, Zhejiang, China.

2021: Beyond Range Expands to Include 'Beyond Mince' in the UK

In 2021, the Beyond range in the UK expanded to include 'Beyond Mince'.

March 2022: Launch of Jerky Product with PepsiCo

In March 2022, Beyond Meat launched its jerky product in conjunction with PepsiCo, marking Beyond Meat's first shelf-stable product.

July 2022: Testing of McPlant Burger Ends in the USA

In July 2022, testing of the McPlant burger by McDonald's in the USA ended after poor sales in 600 restaurants, but the product is sold in several European countries after partnerships began in February 2021.

September 2022: Stock Price All-Time Low

By September 2022, Beyond Meat's stock price had fallen to an all-time low, 93% lower than the all-time high set in July 2019 and 74% lower than at the start of 2022.

October 2022: Workforce Reduction Announced

In October 2022, Beyond Meat announced a 19% workforce reduction, or approximately 200 employees, due to revenue declines.

2022: Settlement of Dispute

In 2022, Beyond Meat and Don Lee Farms settled the dispute, with neither admitting liability or wrongdoing, after a civil suit was filed in March 2019.

November 2023: Additional Layoffs Announced

In November 2023, Beyond Meat announced additional layoffs after continued declining sales and a disappointing quarter, with sales falling approximately 9% during Q3 2023.

February 2024: Discontinuation of Jerky Product

In February 2024, Beyond Meat discontinued its jerky product that was launched in March 2022.

February 2024: Updated Beef Recipe

In February 2024, Beyond Meat updated its beef recipe to reduce the ingredient list, salt content by 20%, and saturated fat by 60%.

2024: Recipe Change for Healthier Beyond Meat IV

In 2024, Beyond Meat changed its recipe to achieve a healthier "Beyond Meat IV". This updated Beyond Burger recipe replaced the canola oil and coconut oil with avocado oil.