Business Wars Beyond Meat vs Impossible Burger | We've Got Beef | 5
52 snips
Jan 8, 2026 
In this discussion, Deena Shanker, a Bloomberg Businessweek reporter, dives into the tumultuous journey of Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods, revealing their marketing missteps and fluctuating consumer trust. She highlights how meme stock status impacted Beyond Meat and outlines fundamental challenges, including bankruptcy rumors. Investigative journalist Clint Rainey then unveils alleged disinformation tactics from 'Big Beef' targeting these companies, exploring the role of industry PR and social media influencers in shaping public perception. Together, they illustrate a fierce battle for the future of plant-based meat.
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Meme Stock Gains Didn’t Change Fundamentals
- Beyond's stock rode a wild roller coaster, peaking in 2019 then collapsing and briefly becoming a meme stock in 2024.
- Shanker emphasizes fundamentals, not internet momentum, determine company survival.
Restaurant Presence Signals Market Traction
- Impossible maintained wider restaurant distribution while Beyond lost major foodservice partners.
- Shanker sees ongoing menu presence (Burger King, Starbucks) as a sign Impossible still sells sufficiently to partners.
Ingredient Choices Shaped Fate And Costs
- Impossible uses GMO-derived heme for taste; Beyond avoided GMOs using pea protein, which affected taste and cost.
- Shanker argues the non-GMO choice may have boxed Beyond into higher cost and less appealing flavor.
