BYND Beyond Meat out of main

[phigment]

Looks like nobody is touching this without concrete numbers showing positive direction.
Even then, it might be the old playbook that they weren't positive enough.

 

[aubreymcfato]

I'm exploring the word of aquaculture and regenerative ocean farming (bivalves, mussels, seaweed), it's a win-win in all directions: absorbing carbon, lower ocean acidification, cleaning water, thriving ecosystem, and the food is pain-free.
Good articles on Scientific American: Soil and Seaweed: Farming Our Way to a Climate Solution
And BBC: The simple food that fights climate change
Do you know of any company worth investing into?

 

[nwdiver]

Set in 2022...

 

[iPlug]

Beyond, Impossible, et al are finally starting to reach parity with meat prices.

Recently picked up some Impossible Burger Patties at Costco. 8 large patties, net weight 2 lbs, only $9.99 after their sale. That's only $1.25 per patty. Once we see prices like this more consistently, animal meat will have a very serious contender in the marketplace.

 

[willow_hiller]

Had the opportunity to try Beyond Chicken Nuggets from my local KFC for dinner tonight. My overall conclusion is that I would probably buy them again, but only if the price comes down.

For the moment, they're $6.99 for 6 chicken nuggets. Flavor of the filling is pretty close to chicken; just a light umami taste, but most people are going to be dunking them in ketchup and honey mustard anyway. Texture was really interesting. Much firmer than you would expect from a nugget, or even a full tender. Maybe closest comparison would be overcooked chicken breast, but it wasn't unpleasant. I definitely preferred the firmer texture to anything spongey.

But when you can get three chicken tenders, fries, a biscuit, a cookie, and a fountain soda for 50 cents less (the 3 piece tenders fill up meal is $6.49 at the same location), I can't imagine people buying them regularly until the price comes down.

 

[Bet TSLA]

But when you can get three chicken tenders, fries, a biscuit, a cookie, and a fountain soda for 50 cents less (the 3 piece tenders fill up meal is $6.49 at the same location), I can't imagine people buying them regularly until the price comes down.

Vegetarians and vegans will buy. And they wouldn't even have been customers before this.

 

[willow_hiller]

Vegetarians and vegans will buy. And they wouldn't even have been customers before this.

One issue is that KFC cooks these nuggets in the same fryer as their chicken. It's not a vegetarian offering, so I figure they're trying to target folks like me who occasionally eat meat.

And for the vegetarians and vegans who wouldn't mind the product being cooked with meat, do you think they would be repeat customers at that price? Or would they only try it once for a novelty?

Like I said, the price puts it past something my family would consider buying on a regular basis. One $4 eggplant is on my menu tonight, and that will serve four. And a $3.49 block of extra firm tofu is dinner in the near future.

 

[jerry33]

Vegetarians and vegans will buy. And they wouldn't even have been customers before this.

Probably not unless they were desperate or have just started being vegetarians. Long time vegetarians really don't want meat substitutes as there are tens of thousands of veggie recipes that don't require emulating meat.

 

[Bet TSLA]

Probably not unless they were desperate or have just started being vegetarians. Long time vegetarians really don't want meat substitutes as there are tens of thousands of veggie recipes that don't require emulating meat.

I've eaten vegan for over a decade now. Is that long time? I eat and enjoy meat and cheese substitutes regularly. Maybe I'm unusual that way. I was never into fast food, but I imagine there are people who miss their KFC something fierce and will jump at the chance to have it again.

As an old-time fan of the original Panda Inn restaurant in Pasadena, CA (long before I went vegan), I've never been into the far inferior Panda Express. But when I see it available at one nearby, I'll give their vegan orange chicken a try just to see what it's like. And maybe I'll even get it regularly if it's good and not too expensive.

The reality is that there are far more people who will go to some effort to "eat better" than there are people who will go full on vegetarian or vegan. And as the market gets bigger, the price will come down too, so it's a virtuous cycle. As with Tesla, the crux of the matter for the meat substitute companies will be manufacturing.

 

[jerry33]

I've eaten vegan for over a decade now. Is that long time?

Longer than most, I suspect. Over four decades for me, maybe almost five.

 

[willow_hiller]

The reality is that there are far more people who will go to some effort to "eat better" than there are people who will go full on vegetarian or vegan.

Yep. I was pleasantly surprised reading this comment section on Reddit about Beyond and Impossible. Lots of folks replacing 1 or 2 meat meals per week for health or environmental reasons:

https://www.reddit.com/r/UpliftingNews/comments/s4nvua

 

[aubreymcfato]

Habits are changing and it's difficult to forecast.
It's almost 10 years of vegetarianism for me, but meat substitute are part of my weekly diet and won't ditch them anytime soon.
So for me the criteria are price taste and price.
Mind you, I'm in Italy, offer of these products is different, but it's slowly changing.
Tofu is too mild for us, seitan products a bit better, while now plant-based milks are all the rage.
Patties are definitely the products that veg companies try to reproduce the most: we use them mainly as comfort food in hamburger, there is no other use (well, maybe you can try a ragu alla bolognese, sometimes I do that with vegan minced meat or similar).
I do see a future in "fast food/comfort food replacement", so weekly treat for people on friday night or something.
Especially for a large chuck of people that still eat meat but wants to reduce. Hardcore vegans won't eat them, but they are 1% of population here.
So I see a good market for these products.

Chicken products are starting to appear in supermarkets, still haven't tried them tho.

 

[JRP3]

Tofu is too mild for us

A few simple tricks for tofu is to rip it into pieces with your hands instead of slicing, which creates a lot of ragged surface area to hold sauces, or slicing into thin strips and baking at low heat in an oven or toaster oven, which will drive out all the water and allow it to absorb a marinade. I use super firm tofu when I can get it.

 

[Bet TSLA]

A few simple tricks for tofu is to rip it into pieces with your hands instead of slicing, which creates a lot of ragged surface area to hold sauces, or slicing into thin strips and baking at low heat in an oven or toaster oven, which will drive out all the water and allow it to absorb a marinade. I use super firm tofu when I can get it.

And if you shop in Chinese grocery stores, you discover that there are about a million different forms of tofu: fresh, preserved, spiced, pickled, .... In China, every region has its own specialties.

 

[JRP3]

Cattle being shipped around to appear as if they aren't coming from Amazon deforested areas

How Big Beef Is Fueling the Amazon’s Destruction

Over a million records highlight how the cattle industry and rainforest destruction are inextricably intertwined—and how Brazilian law does little to actually protect the Amazon.

www.bloomberg.com

 

[Adonis]

Those videos appear to be backed by good science, I say that as someone who enjoys a good burger. But... as someone who has watched all four of my meat/potatoes/processed food loving Grandparents grow old, and spent many hours in hospitals an emergency rooms with them, I'm seriously thinking about giving up animal products for the sake of my Grandkids if not myself. Your daughter might be able to whip that vegan, but that vegan will probably never be overweight, get cancer, or other diet/lifestyle related diseases (hopefully your daughter doesn't either regardless of diet). And if he wanted to be more muscular, I'm sure he could start lifting weights and drinking vegan protein powder. The bottom line as I see it is that a hamburger, like a lot of things that taste good, is not great for us whether grass-fed beef or some sort of vegan copy.

I'm not judging people who eat meat, but I am judging people who use the excuse of "but it's healthy" when it's really not. I'm a meat eater but I'm also well aware that I'm poisoning myself every time I eat it. I'm also aware that I'm poisoning my kids when I feed them it, which is why I'm trying to cut back, and I'm very aware of the fact that if I have any Grandkids, I'm not sure I'll be able to feed them the same crap I'm eating now. It's a shame, but I think that's the reality of the situation. If a few people are willing to sacrifice a little taste and go vegan, I think that's a good thing.

 

[glide]

I'm not judging people who eat meat, but I am judging people who use the excuse of "but it's healthy" when it's really not. I'm a meat eater but I'm also well aware that I'm poisoning myself every time I eat it. I'm also aware that I'm poisoning my kids when I feed them it, which is why I'm trying to cut back, and I'm very aware of the fact that if I have any Grandkids, I'm not sure I'll be able to feed them the same crap I'm eating now. It's a shame, but I think that's the reality of the situation. If a few people are willing to sacrifice a little taste and go vegan, I think that's a good thing.

“Poisoning” yourself with meat? That’s a bit dramatic.

Are you also “poisoning” yourself with vegetables treated with pesticides? Or GMO seeds? Or by drinking/showering in tap water running through corroded pipes?

Tell me something you put in or on yourself on a daily basis and I guarantee I can find something harmful with it.

 

[mspohr]

“Poisoning” yourself with meat? That’s a bit dramatic.

Are you also “poisoning” yourself with vegetables treated with pesticides? Or GMO seeds? Or by drinking/showering in tap water running through corroded pipes?

Tell me something you put in or on yourself on a daily basis and I guarantee I can find something harmful with it.

True, most everything can be toxic (or include toxins).
However, meat has been repeatedly shown to be much more toxic compared to a plant based diet. Meat eaters have higher incidence of cardiovascular disease and cancers, among other things. Also industrial farming of meat is toxic to the environment (land use, pesticides, water use, etc.)
In addition, there is the animal welfare issue which people try to ignore.
All good reasons to eat less meat.

 

[glide]

True, most everything can be toxic (or include toxins).
However, meat has been repeatedly shown to be much more toxic compared to a plant based diet. Meat eaters have higher incidence of cardiovascular disease and cancers, among other things. Also industrial farming of meat is toxic to the environment (land use, pesticides, water use, etc.)
In addition, there is the animal welfare issue which people try to ignore.
All good reasons to eat less meat.

Link studies and sources, otherwise BS.

That is, until another study comes out refuting the results.

I forget, are eggs, wine, and chocolate bad for me this year or not?

 

[ohmman]

That is, until another study comes out refuting the results.

I forget, are eggs, wine, and chocolate bad for me this year or not?

You're conflating the headlines about studies with the content of studies.