Tyson Foods Divests From Plant-Based Beyond Meat

Until this week, Tyson Foods held a 6.5% stake in plant-based meat producer Beyond Meat, but the meat industry leader just sold it to an unknown buyer (or buyers). This news came just ahead of the burger company’s plans to begin selling shares publicly, reaching for a market value of more than $1 billion.  

It is not yet known who Tyson sold its shares to, or for how much, but there is plenty of speculation. Theories include that Beyond Meat may have pushed out the poultry giant after it announced that it would be getting into the plant-based market, making the two companies competitors.

Recently Tyson Foods pledged that vegan news would be coming in a few weeks. Rizal Hamdallah, head of Tyson’s Innovation Lab, said, “There will be news coming very soon about how serious we are about doing this. … I think we’re looking at plant protein as the future of protein.”

This news makes us wonder–could the vegan news mean another meat-like, possibly “bleeding” veggie burger on the market? One of Tyson’s major customers, McDonald’s, has been exploring vegan burger options abroad. Maybe it’s time to bring that meatless option stateside.

Consumers are turning to vegan foods to lessen their negative impact on the environment, their health and animal suffering. It’s clear that Tyson is starting to take notice, but it still remains the largest chicken-killing company in the nation. Despite its foray into the vegan market, Tyson Foods has failed to step up and address egregious cruelty in its supply chain.

It’s time to push Tyson in the right direction and demand it ends its barbaric practice of breeding birds for cruel rapid growth, which causes birds to grow so unnaturally they suffer immensely–and continue expanding its vegan offerings. Take a stand: sign the petition today.