Faux Beef Maker Beyond Meat to Grow Production Capacity

Plant-based protein products manufacturer Beyond Meat is planning to triple its production capacity with the addition of a new production plant in Columbia, MO, the company announced in a press release Thursday.

The Los Angeles-based firm is boosting its manufacturing space from 30,000 sq ft to 100,000 sq ft, which will support production of the firm’s Beyond Burger and Beyond Sausage lines, as well as new product launches. The site will also include water rediculation technologies that will help the firm reduce its water consumption by some 80%.

“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,” Mark Nelson, chief operating officer and chief financial officer at Beyond Meat, said in the firm’s release. “Our expanded 100,000-sq-ft manufacturing footprint will provide the scale we need to service our rapidly growing retail, foodservice, and international customer base.”

Beyond Meat’s investment is expected to generate about 250 new jobs this year. The company’s existing manufacturing facility in Missouri has a headcount of more than 200 workers.

“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,” said Ethan Brown, chief executive officer and founder of Beyond Meat, in a statement. “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.”

Powder & Bulk Solids reported in October 2016 that Tyson Foods acquired a stake in the meatless protein startup. In December 2017, Tyson decided to increase its stake in Beyond Meat. A number of other prominent figures and organizations have invested in the company, like actor Leonardo DiCaprio and the Humane Society of the United States.

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