Beyond has dropped “meat” from its name and expanded its high-protein drink line

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Beyond Meat’s rebrand to “Beyond” and pivot toward high-protein drinks prompts broad scrutiny of why venture-backed plant-based meat has stalled. Commenters argue the products occupy an awkward niche—more expensive and highly processed, not clearly healthier, and often less appealing than either real meat or traditional plant-based foods—while having been hyped as a world-changing, meat-replacing technology. Many see entrenched meat subsidies, overblown growth expectations, and shifting health trends (like GLP‑1–driven demand for protein) as bigger factors than any lack of interest in vegetarian or vegan eating itself.

Business & Market Dynamics

  • Many see Beyond’s struggles as a hype/valuation issue, not proof the plant-based category is dead.
  • Comparisons: Tyson’s tens of billions in revenue vs modest market cap vs Beyond’s sub‑$100m revenue at peak ~$14b cap. General view: burgers don’t scale like software.
  • Several argue Beyond built a venture-scale narrative around a “good but not world-changing” product. Others note competitors (store brands, Impossible, European discounters) have caught up or surpassed them on taste and price.
  • Some think the brand is now tainted and hard to pivot, regardless of strategy.

Product Quality & Taste

  • Opinions on taste are sharply split:
    • Some say Beyond/Impossible are close to or better than low-end beef burgers and far better than old-school soy/bean patties.
    • Others find Beyond “gross,” inferior to both meat and traditional veg options, or only acceptable as occasional junk food.
  • Impossible is often described as more realistic than Beyond; some prefer Beyond precisely because it’s less “dead cow–like.”

Price, Subsidies & Economics

  • Common complaint: Beyond products are pricier than meat and far more than legumes/tofu; many won’t pay a premium for “almost as good.”
  • Multiple comments blame heavy subsidies for meat and dairy; specific claims (e.g., ground beef would cost $30–40/lb without subsidies) are challenged as numerically implausible.
  • Some note cheap private-label plant burgers undercut Beyond in Europe.

Health, Processing & Nutrition

  • Strong debate over whether plant-based meats are healthier:
    • Critics: “ultra-processed,” long ingredient lists, high sodium, lower protein density/bioavailability vs meat, unclear long-term effects.
    • Defenders: ingredients are mostly isolated plant proteins and oils; processing alone isn’t inherently harmful; compared to fast-food beef, they can be lower in saturated fat.
  • Many health‑conscious commenters prefer whole foods (lentils, beans, tofu, seitan) or homemade veg burgers over branded patties.

Ethical, Environmental & Cultural Angles

  • Several vegetarians/vegans say they buy Beyond/Impossible mainly to avoid animal suffering yet still enjoy burger-like foods, especially in social settings.
  • Others prefer “clearly not meat” options and dislike realistic substitutes.
  • Some meat eaters use these products to reduce meat intake for climate or ethical reasons; others feel the taste/price trade-off isn’t worth it.
  • Recurrent view: meaningful meat reduction requires political change (subsidies, regulation), not just better fake burgers.

Target Demographic & Use Cases

  • Debate over who the real audience is:
    • Ethical vegans who still like meat-like foods.
    • Flexitarians wanting to cut meat (“Meatless Monday,” fast-food alternatives).
    • Vegetarians wanting parity at restaurants, stadiums, events.
  • Several note they eat such products only a few times a year; that low frequency may be insufficient to support a high-priced, branded player.

GLP‑1 Drugs & High-Protein Drink Pivot

  • Some see the pivot to high-protein fizzy drinks/bars as chasing a saturated “high protein” trend, boosted by GLP‑1 weight-loss drugs.
  • Users on GLP‑1 report doctors pushing high protein to prevent muscle loss; packaged foods are responding by protein-loading products.
  • Others are skeptical: protein sodas sound unappetizing, and Beyond has no clear moat in this crowded functional-food space.