At a time when several U.S. meat processors have shut down due to the spread of COVID-19 within their facilities, nationwide plant-based meat sales skyrocketed 278% over this time last year (source: Nielsen).
One clear winner from the U.S. meat shortages and shift in consumer behaviour is Beyond Meat: the company’s shares climbed 41% in one week (the largest weekly jump since it went private in 2019) as it reported a 141% increase in its Q1 revenue compared to Q1 2019.
In navigating the impacts of the novel coronavirus, many plant-based meat companies have expedited planned retail launches and continued their planned expansions into new territories. This includes Impossible Foods, which launched its Impossible Burger into 1700 grocery stores across the U.S. and released a cookbook.
READ MORE: Demand for meatless meat is skyrocketing during the pandemic [VOX]