Bringing Plant-Based Meat to the Masses, The Beyond Burger Expands Into Safeway Stores

Game-changing plant-based burger breaks through to the meat case at Safeway as consumer demand for plant-based protein grows

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Just in time for the key Summer Grilling season, Beyond Meat^®, a leader in plant-based protein, announces that it will expand U.S. distribution of its innovative Beyond Burger^® into the meat section of Safeway grocery stores. The ground-breaking burger’s expansion into Safeway marks a substantial push by Beyond Meat into the mainstream marketplace. The Beyond Burger, which has seen sell-out demand since its launch last May, will hit Safeway shelves in the chain’s Northern California division beginning Memorial Day weekend.

“At Beyond Meat, we are in the business of enabling consumers to eat what they love—in this case, delicious satiating burgers—while enjoying the health, sustainability, and animal welfare benefits of plant-based protein,” said Beyond Meat’s CEO Ethan Brown. “Early research indicates that 70% of Beyond Burger consumers are meat-eaters seeking to incorporate more plant-based foods into their diet.”

The Beyond Burger will be available in Safeway grocery stores throughout Northern California, Northern Nevada and Hawaii. As part of the Safeway launch, The Beyond Burger will be featured within a new Summer Grilling destination set promoting the kickoff of grilling season.

As a major food purveyor, Safeway’s distribution of the plant-based Beyond Burger aligns with the shift in consumer preferences reported in a recent NPD Group study that showed more than two-thirds of meat eaters are substituting a non-animal protein in a meal at least once a week, and 22 percent saying they are doing it more often than a year ago¹. With the expanded availability at Safeway, the Beyond Burger will now be available at more than 650 grocery stores nationwide.

For a full list of participating Safeway stores, visit the Beyond Meat blog.

The Beyond Burger looks, cooks and satisfies like a traditional hamburger. Boasting 20 grams of plant-based protein, The Beyond Burger is naturally cholesterol free and contains no GMO’s, soy or gluten.

¹ NPD, “Protein and the Plate Research Project,” March 2016.

About Beyond Meat

Based in Los Angeles, California, Beyond Meat is a privately held company with a mission of building meat directly from plants. Investors include Bill Gates, Twitter co-founders Biz Stone and Evan Williams, Kleiner Perkins, former McDonald’s CEO Don Thompson, Honest Tea founder Seth Goldman, Humane Society of the United States, and Tyson Foods. To stay up to date on the latest, visit www.BeyondMeat.com and follow @BeyondMeat, #BeyondBurger and #FutureOfProtein on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

About Safeway

Safeway is one of the most well-recognized grocery retail brands with a long-standing reputation for quality and service, proudly serving Northern California since 1926. The company operates over 280 stores in Northern California, Northern Nevada and Hawaii. Safeway is one of the top private companies in the San Francisco Bay Area, according to The San Francisco Business Times. Safeway operates as a banner of Albertsons Companies.