Beyond Meat Raises $100M Amid Slumping Sales and Retail Shakeups
Beyond Meat lands $100M lifeline as sliding sales, frozen aisles, and skeptical shoppers cloud its plant-based future.
A Lifeline for the Plant-Based Pioneer
Beyond Meat has secured a $100 million loan from Unprocessed Foods, a nonprofit affiliated with the Ahimsa Foundation. In return, the lender gets the option to buy up to 12.5% of the company’s stock—an unconventional but telling sign of where Beyond now stands.
Retail Realities Bite Back
U.S. sales volumes dropped 23.3% in Q1, with product revenue down more than 15%. Why? A mix of cautious consumer spending and a damaging pause in distribution caused by retailers relocating Beyond’s products from the fridge to the freezer.
Frozen Placement, Frozen Growth
The shift to frozen aisles hurt visibility and slowed sales velocity—a big problem for a brand that once sold itself as a fresh, modern meat alternative. CEO Ethan Brown called the quarter “disappointing” and acknowledged the mounting challenges.
Resetting the Narrative
Beyond has trimmed staff, exited China, and continues to battle misconceptions about its ingredients. Brown says the funding will help reinvest in growth and reshape how consumers perceive the health value of plant-based meat.
Next Steps, Unclear Path
The $100M buy time—but not certainty. Beyond is betting it can still reclaim relevance in a skeptical market. Whether shoppers—and investors—buy back in remains to be seen.
Source: https://www.fooddive.com/news/beyond-100m-loan-sales-decline-plant-based-meat/747545/