Name Change for Meat Imitator?

August 4, 2025

The company that built its brand by calling plants “meat” may soon be rebranding itself. Beyond Meat is reportedly planning to drop “Meat” from its corporate name as sales continue to fall and criticism grows louder.

In an interview with Fast Company, Beyond Meat CEO Ethan Brown said the company is shifting focus from imitating meat to highlighting plant-based proteins for what they are—saying, “What we’re great at is making protein.”

But the move may have come from increased pressure on the Food and Drug Administration to toughen up guidance for fake meat companies that would prevent them from using misleading labels on plant-based products.

Recently, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association submitted formal comments to the FDA, urging tougher guidance to stop plant-based companies from using terms like “meat” and imagery of cattle or ranchers.

NCBA President Buck Wehrbein said, “If you’re manufacturing products to replace beef that contain no real beef, you should not be using terms that are specific to livestock.” He added, “These companies shouldn’t be allowed to trade on beef’s good name.”

Meanwhile, according to Yahoo!finance, Beyond Meat posted a $52.9 million loss in Q1 of 2025. U.S. sales continue to slide. Its stock is now trading just above $3 a share, down more than 50% this year—from highs of over $100 just five years ago.