Making Plant-Based Meat Price-Competitive is Key to Pushing Animal Products Out of the Market

On “Talking Business with Aaron Heslehurst,“ Beyond Meat CEO Ethan Brown discussed his focus on global three-year deals with McDonald’s and with Yum, the parent company of KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell. Brown believes these deals are the best way to lower costs and “make these products accessible to every consumer that wants them.”

Making plant-based meat price-competitive with animal products may be the key to pushing animal products out of the marketplace; 32 percent of consumers are put off of plant-based meat by the cost. But lowering the cost of plant-based meat is only one-half of this equation. And Brown, Despite humbly noting that he is not an economist, stated that “the whole notion of a Pigouvian tax, which is to tax negative. . . things that are high in externalities” appealed to him.

Animal products are certainly “negative things” in the marketplace, and plant-based products like Beyond Meat offer much less destructive alternatives. A study by Martin C. Heller and Gregory A. Keoleian from the University of Michigan found that “Beyond Burger generates 90% less greenhouse gas emissions, requires 46% less energy, has >99% less impact on water scarcity and 93% less impact on land use than a ¼ pound of U.S. beef.”

But increasing taxes on animal products could more accurately be characterized as two steps removed from the current way the U.S. government approaches food taxes. The United States heavily subsidizes meat and dairy, and by one estimate, “a $5 Big Mac would cost $13 if the retail price included hidden expenses that meat producers offload onto society.”  This means plant-based meat companies are fighting an uphill battle, and it is a battle that the planet depends upon them to win.

The plant-based food market is booming, and research suggests it could make up 7.7 percent of the global protein market by 2030. With a value of $29.4 billion in 2020, experts suggest that the plant-based foods market could have a value of over $162 billion by the end of the decade. If you have the choice, why not choose vegan and cruelty-free?

Speak Up by Tiny Rescue: Animal Collection

Related Content:

• New Healthier Beyond Burger Available at Grocery Stores Nationwide Starting Next Week
• Beyond Meat Launches Beyond Breakfast Sausage Links at Grocery Stores Nationwide
• Beyond Meat Strikes Deal with PepsiCo to Produce Plant-Based Snacks
• Beyond Meat Debuts Plant-Based Pork in China
• Beyond Meat and Carl’s Jr. Team Up to Introduce the Fiery Famous Star Burger!
• Pizza Hut Adds Beyond Meat Sausage Topping to all Locations in the U.S.

Learn How to Cook Plant-Based Meals at Home

Reducing your meat intake and eating more plant-based foods is known to help with chronic inflammation, heart health, mental wellbeing, fitness goals, nutritional needs, allergies, gut health, and more! Unfortunately, dairy consumption also has been linked to many health problems, including acne, hormonal imbalance, cancer, prostate cancer, and has many side effects.

For those interested in eating more plant-based, we highly recommend purchasing one of our many plant-based cookbooks or downloading the Food Monster App which has thousands of delicious recipes making it the largest vegan recipe resource to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy! And, while you are at it, we encourage you to also learn about the environmental and health benefits of a plant-based diet.

Here are some resources to get you started:

• Weekly Vegan Meal Plans
• Plant-Based Health Resources
• Plant-Based Food & Recipes
• The Ultimate Guide to Plant-Based Nutrition
• Plant-Based Nutrition Resources
• Budget-Friendly Plant-Based Recipes
• High Protein Plant-Based Recipes
• Plant-Based Meal Prep

Easy Ways to Help the Planet:

• Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store, to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks.
• Reduce Your Fast Fashion Footprint: Take initiative by standing up against fast fashion Pollution and supporting sustainable and circular brands like Tiny Rescue that raise awareness around important issues through recycled zero-waste clothing designed to be returned and remade over and over again.
• Support Independent Media: Being publicly funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!
• Sign a Petition: Your voice matters! Help turn petitions into victories by signing the latest list of must-sign petitions to help people, animals, and the planet.
• Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest news and important stories involving animals, the environment, sustainable living, food, health, and human interest topics by subscribing to our newsletter!
• Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in common household and personal care products!