LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Demand for Beyond Meat’s innovative plant-based products continues to skyrocket. To serve this rapidly increasing demand, Beyond Meat has more than tripled its manufacturing footprint from 30,000 to 100,000 sq. ft. This expanded capacity will help support Beyond Meat’s popular line of plant-based fresh meat products that include The Beyond Burger and Beyond Sausage, as well as provide for increased growth across new product launches moving forward.
Located in Columbia, Missouri, the new facility will generate more than 250 new jobs in 2018. Like the products it produces, the state-of-the-art facility has an eye towards sustainability, from high efficiency lighting to new water recirculation systems that reduce consumption by nearly 80 percent.
“We first came to Missouri in 2009 to access the outstanding research being conducted at the University of Missouri. We have been investing in, and growing together with, Columbia, MO ever since, and I’m pleased to announce this latest manufacturing investment, our largest to date. Our expansion not only brings more jobs and opportunity to this special community but also furthers Missouri’s position as a leader in the production of plant-based meat,” said Ethan Brown, CEO and Founder of Beyond Meat.
An active member of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce, the brand’s investment in the local community with the building of the new plant serves as a reminder to the brand’s deep roots in the area. When Brown was first exploring the notion that the protein at the center of the plate didn’t need to be made using an animal, he tapped into research that was taking place at the University of Missouri. This research eventually provided one of the technical foundations for Beyond Meat’s visionary approach to building meat from plants.
“This expansion in our production capacity will help us to meet the considerable increase in market demand we have seen for our new and innovative product offerings,” said Mark Nelson, COO & CFO at Beyond Meat. He added, “Our expanded 100,000 square foot manufacturing footprint will provide the scale we need to service our rapidly growing retail, foodservice and international customer base.”
Beyond Meat’s existing Missouri facility houses more than 200 employees, representing more than 12 nations amongst its staff members. Beyond Meat is a proud equal opportunity employer.
A Sizzling Sensation: The Beyond Burger
This summer marks several important milestones for the brand, including The Beyond Burger’s availability at more than 10,000 restaurants, bringing Beyond Meat’s total distribution footprint to more than 30,000 restaurants and retailers. The Beyond Burger is the world’s first and only plant-based burger that looks, cooks and tastes like beef, but is made entirely from plants without GMOs, soy or gluten. For the latest list of restaurants and stores carrying The Beyond Burger, visit the Where to Find tab on the Beyond Meat website.
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, actor and activist Leonardo DiCaprio, 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.
