Beyond Meat Cuts Jobs and Rebrands Amid Falling Sales
Beyond Meat has laid off 6% of its global workforce and appointed a restructuring expert as interim chief transformation officer, following another quarter of declining revenue.
Restructuring Underway
Beyond Meat reported a 19.6% drop in net sales for Q2 2025, totaling $75 million. In response, the company laid off 44 employees in North America, or 6% of its global staff, to reduce operating expenses.
John Boken from AlixPartners has joined as interim chief transformation officer to lead cost-cutting and margin improvement efforts.
Key Financial Figures – Q2 2025
Net loss: $33.2 million
Gross margin: 11.5%
Cash: $117.3 million
Debt: $1.2 billion
Full-year outlook: Not provided due to market uncertainty
Regional Sales Breakdown
US Retail (Largest Segment)
Sales down 26.7% to $32.9M
Volumes down 24.2%
Challenges: Higher price vs. meat, weaker consumer spending, product moved from refrigerated to frozen aisles
US Foodservice
Sales up 6.8% to $11.1M
Volumes up 2.3%
International Retail
Sales down 9.8% to $15.9M
Volumes down 13.1%
International Foodservice
Sales down 25.8% to $15.1M
Volumes down 21.6%
Cost-Cutting Focus
CEO Ethan Brown emphasized cost control over growth:
“We’re slowing cash burn and targeting EBITDA-positive operations by late 2026.”
The company is exiting low-performing product lines, consolidating distribution, and expanding margin-focused strategies.
Brand Strategy Shift
Beyond Meat is rebranding as simply “Beyond” to reflect a broader focus beyond meat analogs. This includes products like Beyond Ground, a high-protein fava bean-based mince with only four ingredients.
Industry Context
Category headwinds: Plant-based meat demand is softening, particularly in US retail
Consumer pressure: Price-sensitive shoppers are opting for traditional meat
Shelf space: Movement from refrigerated to frozen aisles has disrupted placement and sales
Financing Update
Beyond Meat secured a $100M debt facility from Unprocessed Foods, an affiliate of the Ahimsa Foundation, to support operations while exploring options to manage its $1.2B in convertible notes.
Outlook
The company is focusing on margin improvements, core product distribution, and brand simplification. Leadership remains optimistic about long-term structural cost improvements but acknowledges current challenges.
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