Beyond Meat Is Launching Its First Steak Today
The plant-based meat industry has exploded into the mainstream in recent years. Between pea protein burgers and soy chicken, plant-based protein options have quickly become grocery store and restaurant mainstays. But few have taken on a product quite like the one Beyond Meat is launching today.
The plant-based leader is adding a new beef product to its vast portfolio, and this one is more meat-like than ever. The Beyond Steak, which comes frozen, is now available at more than 5,000 Kroger and Walmart stores nationwide, as well as select Albertsons and Ahold divisions, and other retailers across the U.S.
Related: The Surprising Secrets Behind Steak Grades, According to a Butcher
The plant-based steak was first teased back in June by Beyond Meat's CEO, Ethan Brown, who told The Wall Street Journal, "It's probably one of our best products to date." Unlike the brand's other products, which are designed to mimic ground meat products like burgers and sausages, Beyond Steak was designed to provide whole pieces of meat.
According to the company, the vegan steak has the flavor and texture of sliced steak tips with the added nutritional and environmental benefits of plant-based meat. GMO-, antibiotic-, and hormone-free, the seared bite-sized pieces also contain 21 grams of protein and 0 milligrams of cholesterol per serving.
For those looking for some meal inspo, the steak can be heated up in a skillet or air fryer for five minutes, and used in a range of dishes like fajitas, tacos, stir fries, sandwiches, and salads.
"Beyond Steak is a highly-anticipated expansion of our popular beef platform and we're proud to introduce this innovative product to consumers nationwide," Dariush Ajami, Chief Innovation Officer at Beyond Meat, said in the company's press release.
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This isn't the first time Beyond Meat has ventured into the steak category, though. Last month, Taco Bell unveiled its Beyond Carne Asada Steak, which is the chain's first plant-based menu item to be launched in partnership with Beyond Meat. Taco Bell began testing the plant-based protein at select locations in Dayton, Ohio, on October 13.
