First Vegan Burger to be Sold Alongside Meat Debuts

Plant-based meat-maker Beyond Meat unveiled its new Beyond Burger—a brand-new vegan option it says is “the closest thing to meat” it’s ever created. The vegan burger is making headlines thanks to the company’s plans to stock the burger in refrigerated meat cases alongside beef, pork, and chicken. Earlier referred to as “plant-based burger 5.0,” the new Beyond Burger is similar to the California-based company’s previous Beast Burger iteration in that it uses non-GMO pea protein as a main ingredient—but the new product will not rely on being frozen to maintain freshness, looks very much like ground beef, and will “bleed” and get its juiciness from a mix of canola, coconut, and sunflower oil (making it a plant-based answer to forthcoming cultured-meat products). While some may disagree with placing the product in meat counters, Beyond Meat’s founder Ethan Brown said the goal is to introduce a healthier, cruelty-free option to omnivorous consumers who aren’t venturing to the freezer aisle for their burgers—evidenced by a new slogan on Beyond Meat’s website that reads “Carnivores welcome.” “I want as many people as possible to have access to our products,” Brown said. “A lot of people love to eat meat. What I’m doing is allowing them to eat more of what they love, more meat. It’s just meat from plants. That’s the only difference.” Beyond Burger is now available at just one Whole Foods Market in Boulder, CO and will launch in other areas on the East Coast soon.