Beyond Meat Inc. is announcing the fourth generation of its core beef platform, Beyond IV, resulting in the unveiling of the company’s new Beyond Burger and Beyond Beef exclusively at retail. The new platform further cements Beyond Meat’s commitment to creating plant-based meat products that deliver nutritional benefits.

The Beyond IV product lines are the result of a multiyear research effort in collaboration with medical and nutrition experts, designed to meet the standards of top health organizations. The extensive renovation focused on delivering goodness from plants — high-quality protein, good fats, fiber and key nutrients.

One of the most impactful changes to the recipe is the shift to avocado oil, which helped reduce the saturated fat in the products by 60% to 2 grams per serving. Avocado oil is high in monounsaturated fats, which the American Heart Association recommends as a heart-healthy choice. Additionally, Beyond Meat reduced the sodium in the new platform by 20%, and added nutrient-dense plant-based ingredients including red lentil and faba bean protein while simultaneously simplifying the ingredient list.

These advancements in nutrition have qualified the new products to be recognized by health organizations, including the American Diabetes Association’s evidence-based nutritional guidelines for its Better Choices for Life program and being included in a collection of heart-healthy recipes certified by the American Heart Association’s Heart-Check program. Additionally, the new products have received Good Housekeeping’s Nutritionist Approved Emblem, which assesses food products based on specific nutritional criteria as well as taste, simplicity and transparency, and are the first plant-based meat products to be Clean Label Project Certified.

“Beyond IV represents a transformative step forward in delivering plant-based nutrition to the consumer in the form of meat. The development of the new products occurred within an ecosystem of leading medical and nutrition experts, and were designed to meet the standards of national health organizations to create a product that delivers the taste, satisfaction, and utility of 80/20 beef – yet is demonstrably healthier. Every ingredient in this fourth iteration was thoughtfully selected to bring the nutritional power of plants – from the heart-healthy monounsaturated [fats] in avocado oil, to the protein and fiber in peas, red lentils, faba beans and brown rice. There is goodness throughout Beyond IV, and we are excited to pass along these benefits to the consumer,” said Ethan Brown, Beyond Meat founder & CEO.

At a recent conference of registered dietitians, 94% of attendees said they enjoyed the taste of the new Beyond Burger, viewed it as healthful and would recommend it. Known by the health community for its strong nutritional profile, avocado oil also has multiple culinary benefits. Its smoother, more neutral flavor allowed Beyond Meat to unlock an even meatier, beefy flavor in its new platform, and because avocado oil has a higher smoke point, the new beef is designed to sizzle and barbecue better than before. This meatier flavor and taste was preferred in consumer testing, and feedback on the new burger overall was positive, according to The People's Choice Consumer Testing (Sept 2023) "Beyond Meat Plant-based Burger Affective CLT."

The new Beyond Burger and Beyond Beef offer:

• Twenty-one grams of protein per serving (more protein than 80/20 beef) derived from peas, brown rice, red lentils and faba beans.
• Two grams of saturated fat derived from avocado oil (75% less saturated fat than 80/20 beef).
• Twenty percent less sodium than the previous version.
• No cholesterol.
• No added antibiotics or hormones.
• No GMOs.

To celebrate the new platform and give consumers an inside look, Beyond Meat created a documentary-style short film featuring doctors, nutritionists, ecologists and historians who explore the opportunity to simultaneously heal bodies and the earth by putting plant-based nutrition at the center of the plate. A teaser for the short film is available to view on the Beyond Meat YouTube channel.

The announcement follows expanded distribution of the company’s healthy Beyond Steak, which remains the top-selling new plant-based meat item in retail and has received multiple health and culinary accolades including earning Heart-Check certification from the American Heart Association. As part of its commitment to improving human health, Beyond Meat continues to support ongoing studies at the Plant-Based Diet Initiative at Stanford University School of Medicine and has a first-of-its-kind multiyear agreement with the American Cancer Society to advance research on plant-based meat and cancer prevention.

The new Beyond Burger and Beyond Beef are expected to roll out exclusively at retailers across the U.S. this spring.

Source: Beyond Meat Inc.