History of Beyond Meat in Timeline

Beyond Meat, Inc. is a Los Angeles-based company that produces plant-based meat substitutes. Founded in 2009 by Ethan Brown, the company launched its first products in the United States in 2012. In 2019, Beyond Meat became the first plant-based meat analogue company to go public.

2009: Ethan Brown Founds Beyond Meat with a Mission

Ethan Brown founded Beyond Meat in 2009 with the stated mission of combating climate change. He collaborated with University of Missouri professors, Fu-hung Hsieh and Harold Huff, who had been developing meatless protein.

2009: Beyond Meat Founded

Ethan Brown founded Beyond Meat, a Los Angeles-based producer of plant-based meat substitutes, in 2009.

2012: Beyond Chicken Strips Launched

Beyond Meat launched its first product, Beyond Chicken Strips, at Whole Foods in 2012.

2012: First Products Launched in the US

Beyond Meat launched its initial products in the United States in 2012.

2012: Beyond Meat Launches First Product: Plant-Based Chicken

In 2012, Beyond Meat introduced its first product, a plant-based chicken alternative, sold frozen and made from soy powder, gluten-free flour, carrot fiber, and other ingredients.

2013: National Expansion and PETA Recognition

Beyond Meat expanded nationally in 2013 and was named Company of the Year by PETA.

2013: Venture Funding Secured

From 2013 to 2016, Beyond Meat received venture funding from various investors including GreatPoint Ventures, Kleiner Perkins, Obvious Corporation, Bill Gates, Biz Stone, the Humane Society, and Tyson Foods.

2014: Beyond Meat Begins Development of Plant-Based Burger

Beyond Meat announced in 2014 the development of a new plant-based burger alternative.

2014: Beyond Beef Crumbles Developed

Beyond Meat developed its first plant-based beef product, Beyond Beef Crumbles, in 2014 and expanded into plant-based pork.

February 2015: Beyond Meat Releases Plant-Based Burger

In February 2015, Beyond Meat released its highly anticipated plant-based burger alternative.

October 2016: Tyson Foods Invests in Beyond Meat

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

December 2017: Beyond Meat Introduces Plant-Based Sausage

In December 2017, Beyond Meat expanded its product offerings with the introduction of Beyond Sausage, a plant-based alternative to pork sausage, available in three varieties: Bratwurst, Hot Italian, and Sweet Italian.

June 2018: Second Production Facility Opened

Beyond Meat opened its second production facility in Columbia, Missouri, in June 2018, tripling the company's manufacturing space.

2018: R&D Lab Opened

Beyond Meat opened a 26,000 square feet R&D lab in El Segundo, California, in 2018.

2018: Beyond Meat Raises US$$72 Million and Gains Celebrity Investors

By 2018, Beyond Meat had raised US$72 million in venture financing and gained celebrity and athlete investors like Leonardo DiCaprio, Jessica Chastain, Snoop Dogg, Liza Koshy, Chris Paul, Kyrie Irving, and DeAndre Hopkins.

March 2019: Beyond Meat Faces Lawsuit from Former Business Partner

In March 2019, Beyond Meat was sued by its former business partner and supplier, Don Lee Farms, alleging breach of contract and raising concerns about food safety protocols.

April 2019: Tyson Foods Exits Investment

Tyson Foods sold its 6.5% stake and exited its investment in Beyond Meat in April 2019.

May 2019: Beyond Meat's Successful IPO

In May 2019, Beyond Meat went public on the Nasdaq exchange under the symbol BYND, achieving a valuation of $3.8 billion and marking the best-performing public offering by a major U.S. company in almost two decades.

July 2019: All-Time High Stock Price

Beyond Meat's stock price reached an all-time high in July 2019.

July 2019: Dunkin' Donuts Partnership Announced

In July 2019, Dunkin' Donuts announced its plan to sell breakfast sandwiches using Beyond Meat's Meatless Sausage product, starting in Manhattan and expanding nationally on November 6, 2019.

November 2019: National Launch of Beyond Sausage at Dunkin' Donuts

Dunkin' Donuts launched Beyond Sausage nationally on November 6, 2019.

2019: Beyond Meat Goes Public

Beyond Meat went public in 2019, becoming the first plant-based meat analogue company to go public.

2019: Beyond Meat Discontinues Plant-Based Chicken Product

In 2019, Beyond Meat discontinued its original plant-based chicken product which had received mixed reviews.

2019: Beyond Meatballs Debut at Subway

In 2019, Beyond Meat partnered with Subway to introduce Beyond Meatballs through the Beyond Meatball Marinara sub, marking the first appearance of this plant-based meatball alternative.

September 2020: Beyond Meatballs Launch in Grocery Stores

In September 2020, Beyond Meat expanded the availability of its plant-based meatballs by launching Beyond Meatballs in select grocery stores across the U.S.

November 2020: Impact of COVID-19 on Sales and Shift in Focus

In November 2020, Beyond Meat announced a lower-than-expected sales growth due to the impact of COVID-19 on foodservice sales, leading to a shift in focus towards grocery, convenience stores, and other distribution channels.

November 2020: Collaboration with McDonald's for McPlant

In November 2020, Beyond Meat announced its collaboration with McDonald's to develop the McPlant, a plant-based patty and chicken substitute.

2020: E-commerce Site Launched

Beyond Meat launched its e-commerce platform to sell directly to consumers in 2020.

2020: Acquisition of Manufacturing Facility

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

January 2021: The PLANeT Partnership with PepsiCo

Beyond Meat and PepsiCo formed a joint venture called The PLANeT Partnership in January 2021 to develop and market plant-based snacks and beverages.

January 2021: New Global Headquarters and Expanded R&D Campus

Beyond Meat announced in January 2021 the opening of a new global headquarters and an expanded R&D campus in El Segundo, CA, later that year. The new facility will accommodate a significantly larger R&D team.

January 2021: Taco Bell Collaboration

Taco Bell announced a collaboration with Beyond Meat in January 2021, starting with tests and potentially leading to a permanent plant-based protein option on their menu.

February 2021: Partnerships with McDonald's and Yum Brands

Beyond Meat partnered with McDonald's and Yum Brands in February 2021, aiming to introduce new plant-based options like the McPlant Burger and plant-protein toppings for pizza, chicken alternatives, and potential taco fillings for KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut.

February 2021: McPlant Testing Begins in Scandinavia

Testing of the McPlant began in Denmark and Sweden in February 2021.

June 2021: Beyond Meat's Market Cap Reaches $9.44 Billion

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

September 2021: Beyond Meat Launches Vegan Chicken Tenders in Retail Stores

In September 2021, Beyond Meat expanded its product line by launching vegan chicken tenders in retail stores, including Walmart.

2021: First End-to-End Manufacturing Facility Outside the US

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

2021: Beyond Meat Expands UK Product Range with Beyond Mince

In 2021, Beyond Meat broadened its product offerings in the UK by introducing Beyond Mince, a plant-based alternative to ground meat.

July 2022: McPlant Testing Ends in the US

McDonald's ended its testing of the McPlant burger in the US in July 2022 due to poor sales in 600 restaurants, although the product is available in several European countries.

September 2022: Stock Price Falls to All-Time Low

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

October 2022: Workforce Reduction Announced

In October 2022, Beyond Meat announced a 19% workforce reduction, about 200 employees, due to declining revenues.

November 2023: Additional Layoffs After Declining Sales

In November 2023, Beyond Meat announced further layoffs following continued sales decline and a disappointing quarter, with sales dropping approximately 9% during Q3 2023.