The Real Challenge After the Plant-Based Meat Boom - "Price" and "Everyday Use" of Beyond Burger in Europe

2026年04月15日
The Real Challenge After the Plant-Based Meat Boom - "Price" and "Everyday Use" of Beyond Burger in Europe

The essential question posed by the original article from ad-hoc-news is simple: Can Beyond Burger maintain its presence in the European market, including Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, even after the initial excitement around the plant-based meat market has cooled? Once touted as the "staple of the future," the product is now engaged in a much more realistic battle over price and repurchase rates on store shelves. The original article also indicates that for consumers, it's not just about ideals, but "how often they see it in stores, how much it costs, and whether they continue to choose it."

First, it's important to confirm that Beyond Meat's business environment remains challenging. The company's full-year revenue for 2025 was $275.496 million, a 15.6% decrease from the previous year, with international sales also down by 12.5%. International retail sales fell by 11.1%, with the company itself citing reduced sales of burgers, ground meat, and sausages in the EU as the background. Furthermore, looking at just the fourth quarter of 2025, international retail sales plummeted by 32.5%, impacted by decreased burger sales in the EU. In other words, while Europe is a region with growth potential, a tough selection process has already begun.

Nevertheless, Europe remains important because demand in this region has not dropped to zero. As of 2021, Beyond Meat announced its expansion into thousands of retail stores in the UK, Germany, Austria, and other countries, treating Europe as a key region for a long time. By 2026, the company is shifting its brand expression towards "Beyond The Plant Protein Company," diluting the impression of being solely a plant-based meat company while redefining its business. This may seem like a defensive stance, but from another perspective, it is a repositioning to survive within the broader demand for plant-based proteins, rather than relying solely on the buzz around burgers.

A closer look at the current situation in Europe reveals that it cannot be simply explained as a "slowdown in plant-based foods." According to GFI Europe, in Germany, 37% of households purchased plant-based milk and 32% purchased plant-based meat at least once in 2024. Meanwhile, in the German plant-based food market, private labels (supermarket own brands) grew by 13.9% in volume, while branded products remained flat. This suggests that rather than demand disappearing, the focus has shifted from "expensive branded products" to "affordable alternatives." For Beyond Burger to grow again in Europe, the condition is not just being on the shelf but creating reasons to be chosen over private labels.

In fact, there are tailwinds in Europe. GFI Europe reports that 47% of adults in Germany are already working on reducing meat consumption or adopting a meat-free diet. Additionally, in 2025, sales of chilled plant-based meat in the UK showed signs of recovery, supported by improved price competitiveness and expanded offerings in affordable retailers like Lidl. For Beyond, it is crucial to reposition itself not just as a plant-based product but as an "everyday food that is high in protein, easy to cook, consistently tasty, and not too expensive."

There are also signs of improvement rather than just defense in the product itself. The current generation of Beyond Burger offers 21g of protein, 2g of saturated fat, and 0mg of cholesterol per serving, highlighting avocado oil and legume-derived proteins. Furthermore, in March 2026, it was announced that over 20 products received Clean Label Project certification, strengthening the company's focus on "clean," "simple," and "transparency." Amid growing concerns about health and processing, this is an effort to increase persuasive factors beyond price.

So, how is Beyond Burger perceived on social media? Public posts reveal a noticeable group that highly values "taste and authenticity." On Reddit, there are multiple voices stating that even if it's slightly more expensive than other vegan burgers, the quality difference is convincing, and it is quite delicious among plant-based meats. Many still appreciate the meat-like quality and texture when grilled, indicating that Beyond Burger is still alive as a brand because this group of "taste-driven loyal buyers" has not completely disappeared.

However, stronger than the voices of support are the reactions that "price is a barrier." Public posts repeatedly point out that it's too expensive to buy weekly, that cheaper plant-based meats are sufficiently tasty, and that affordable competitors are expanding their shelf space in Europe. Indeed, posts from users living in Europe reflect a sense that while Beyond is still being sold, it is losing shelf space to competitors, with brands like Heura and HappyVore expanding in France. This aligns well with the EU sales decline indicated in the company's financial results. The honest sentiment on social media is not that Beyond is disliked, but rather that "the reason to continue paying a high premium has weakened."

 

Another point of discussion is the health image. On social media, while there are voices saying it's better than beef, there are also noticeable reactions expressing concern about saturated fat and processing, leading to reluctance to eat it daily. Furthermore, in BYND's official AMA posts, advice was given to reconsider the name and logo that emphasize meat likeness, to make packaging more environmentally friendly, and to emphasize health aspects more. The shift towards "Beyond" in 2026 can be seen as a kind of response to these reactions. In other words, the company is beginning to understand that being merely "meat-like" is no longer sufficient.

When considering the future in Europe, it's important not to overlook that the regulatory atmosphere has also changed slightly. According to Beyond Meat's annual report, the EU Court of Justice ruled in 2024 that France's prohibition on using the term "meat" for plant-based foods was contrary to EU law, and the related decree was nullified in January 2025. While uncertainty over labeling rules has not been completely eliminated, at least the trend is not towards completely closing off straightforward naming for plant-based products, which is a positive for the European market.

Ultimately, Beyond Burger's European strategy is not a binary choice of "expand or contract." More accurately, the choice is whether to remain as a symbol of high-priced branding or to descend into an everyday food that can compete with private labels and regional brands. Even if the overall market is stagnating, there are certainly people in Europe who want to reduce meat, seek high-protein foods, or try a diet with lower environmental impact. If Beyond Burger can resurface, it will be not as a revolutionary leader, but when it returns to the ordinary shopping basket. Both social media reactions and financial figures are currently pointing in the same direction towards this reality.


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