Beyond Meat, Meet Montanans Applauding Your Planned Name Change

"If you’re manufacturing products to replace beef that contain no real beef, you should not be using terms that are specific to livestock.”

That's according to the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) president Buck Wehrbein, who is among the many who are beyond pleased that the company that built its brand by calling plants “meat” may soon be rebranding itself.

Mr. Wehrbein added, “These companies shouldn’t be allowed to trade on beef’s good name.”

The Western Ag Network tells us that the company Beyond Meat is reportedly planning to drop “Meat” from its corporate name as sales continue to fall and criticism grows louder. In a recent interview, the company's CEO said Beyond Meat is shifting focus from imitating meat to highlighting plant-based proteins for what they are—saying, “What we’re great at is making protein.”

But the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, among others, argues that the move may have come from increased pressure on the Food and Drug Administration to toughen up guidance for fake meat companies that would prevent them from using misleading labels on plant-based products. The NCBA recently submitted formal comments to the FDA, urging tougher guidance to stop plant-based companies from using terms like “meat” and imagery of cattle or ranchers.

A LOT LESS SIZZLE

Western Ag Network included some numbers provided by the website Yahoo!finance. They say that Beyond Meat posted a $52.9 million loss in Q1 of 2025. U.S. sales continue to slide. Its stock is now trading just above $3 a share, down more than 50% this year—from highs of over $100 just five years ago.

No one is accusing Beyond Meat of providing an inferior product, or one that does not have a place for consumers seeking alternatives to meat products. The take here is that meat producers are merely ramping up their contention that when it comes to the name, stay in your lane.