Beyond Meat Obtains Non-GMO Certification

California-based vegan brand Beyond Meat announced this week that it has obtained “non-GMO” status for its entire product line. Third-party verification organization The Non-GMO Project conducted a one-year review of the vegan brand to ensure that all of its ingredients, suppliers, and manufacturing facilities are free of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). “Our goal is to be on the center of the plate for the entire family,” Beyond Meat CEO Ethan Brown said. “And we believe the best way to serve the family is through a commitment to all-natural, non-GMO ingredients when building meat directly from plants. Though these tough guardrails make it harder for our scientists, we feel it is the right long run decision for Beyond Meat and our consumers.” Last week, the company opened a 26,000-square-foot innovation center in California—dubbed “The Manhattan Beach Project”—where it will challenge scientists, food experts, and chefs to engineer new products that mimic animal-based meat from plants. The vegan company is also in the midst of an aggressive worldwide expansion, planning to expand the distribution of its Beyond Burger to more than 50 countries by the end of the summer.