Beyond Meat® Launches Beyond Chicken® Tenders at Restaurants Nationwide

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., July 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Beyond Meat^® (NASDAQ: BYND), a leader in plant-based meat, today launched its new, awarding-winning Beyond Chicken^® Tenders. Crafted to look, cook and taste like traditional chicken tenders, the delicious plant-based Beyond Chicken Tenders are breaded to perfection for a crispy outside and irresistibly tender bite. Starting today, consumers can find the latest must-try product from Beyond Meat at select restaurants across the country.

Consumer demand for chicken is continuing to skyrocket—in fact, chicken is so in-demand that the nation is currently facing a shortage.¹ Enter Beyond Chicken Tenders, the next frontier of plant-based meat innovation and a delicious, nutritious option that does not sacrifice any of the taste and texture of traditional chicken tenders: a crispy, golden outside immediately followed by a flavorful, juicy inside. In consumer testing, the product scored at parity in overall flavor to animal-based chicken tenders.² As restaurants are rebounding while struggling to meet soaring consumer demand,³ Beyond Meat is proud to offer a plant-based option for the ultimate everyday, nostalgic or late-night craving that’s perfect as a standalone appetizer or entree, or as an addition to sandwiches, salads and tacos.

Like all Beyond Meat products, Beyond Chicken Tenders are made from simple, plant-based ingredients like faba beans and peas. With 14g of protein per serving, they’re an excellent source of protein and have 40% less saturated fat than the leading foodservice chicken tender. Beyond Chicken Tenders are also made with no GMOs, antibiotics or hormones, and have no cholesterol.

This new product marks the latest chapter in Beyond Meat’s product innovation story, building on the success of its first breakthrough plant-based chicken product in 2012. As an early pioneer in plant-based chicken, Beyond Meat’s nearly 200 research, innovation and culinary team members have spent almost a decade perfecting Beyond Chicken Tenders, its latest, best-in-class chicken product.

“We’re innovating the poultry market with the new Beyond Chicken Tenders—the result of our tireless pursuit for excellence and growth at Beyond Meat,” said Dariush Ajami, Chief Innovation Officer, Beyond Meat. “As with all our products, Beyond Chicken Tenders offer delicious taste and an exceptional culinary experience, along with strong nutritional benefits. Innovation is at the heart of Beyond Meat, and Beyond Chicken Tenders are the latest example of our mission to create groundbreaking, tasty options that are better for people and for our planet.”

Beyond Meat is the #1 selling plant-based meat brand in the refrigerated category at grocery stores⁴ and across total foodservice⁵, and its products are available in more than 80 countries, including at approximately 39,000 foodservice locations throughout the United States. The National Restaurant Association recently recognized Beyond Meat for its relentless pursuit of innovation by awarding Beyond Chicken Tenders the prestigious 2021 Food and Beverage (FABI) Award, making it Beyond Meat’s 5th straight FABI win.

Consumers can start looking for the new Beyond Chicken Tenders in nearly 400 restaurants across the nation, including:

• Bad Mutha Clucka
• Bird Bird Biscuit
• Blissful Burgers
• Burger Patch
• Detroit Wing Company
• Dog Haus
• Duke’s on 7
• Epic Burger
• Fire Wings
• Flyrite Chicken
• JAILBIRD
• Melt Bar and Grilled
• Milwaukee Burger Company
• Next Level Burger / Next Level Clucker
• Nuno’s Tacos & Vegmex Grill
• Plant-Based Pizzeria
• Plow Burger
• Pub 819
• Romeo’s Pizza
• Sarpino’s Pizza
• Stanley’s Northeast Bar Room
• Syberg’s
• The Bar Draft House
• The Block Food & Drink
• The Howe Daily Kitchen & Bar
• Toppers Pizza
• Verdine
  

To find the nearest restaurant serving Beyond Chicken Tenders, click here. For more information about Beyond Meat and the launch of Beyond Chicken Tenders, tune into Beyond Meat CEO Ethan Brown's first-ever Reddit AMA on Monday, July 12 at 12:30 p.m. PDT.

With this initial launch in foodservice, Beyond Meat continues to make plant-based, better-for-you Beyond Chicken products more widely accessible to consumers.

About Beyond Meat
Beyond Meat, Inc. (NASDAQ:BYND) is one of the fastest growing food companies in the United States, offering a portfolio of revolutionary plant-based proteins made from simple ingredients without GMOs, bioengineered ingredients, hormones, antibiotics or cholesterol. Founded in 2009, Beyond Meat products are designed to have the same taste and texture as animal-based meat while being better for people and the planet. Beyond Meat’s brand commitment, Eat What You Love™, represents a strong belief that there is a better way to feed our future and that the positive choices we all make, no matter how small, can have a great impact on our personal health and the health of our planet. By shifting from animal-based meat to plant-based protein, we can positively impact four growing global issues: human health, climate change, constraints on natural resources and animal welfare. As of March 2021, Beyond Meat had products available at approximately 118,000 retail and foodservice outlets in over 80 countries worldwide. Visit www.BeyondMeat.com and follow @BeyondMeat, #BeyondBurger and #GoBeyond on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and @BeyondMeatOfficial on TikTok.

Beyond Meat Forward Looking Statements
Certain statements in this release constitute “forward-looking statements.” These statements are based on management’s current opinions, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or projections regarding future events or future results. These forward-looking statements are only predictions, not historical fact, and involve certain risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions. Actual results, levels of activity, performance, achievements and events could differ materially from those stated, anticipated or implied by such forward-looking statements. While Beyond Meat believes that its assumptions are reasonable, it is very difficult to predict the impact of known factors, and, of course, it is impossible to anticipate all factors that could affect actual results. There are many risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking statements made herein including, most prominently, the risks discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on March 1, 2021, and the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended April 3, 2021 filed with the SEC on May 13, 2021, as well as other factors described from time to time in Beyond Meat’s filings with the SEC. Such forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this release. Beyond Meat undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement because of new information, future events or otherwise, except as otherwise required by law. If we do update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be made that we will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements.

Media Contact:
Shira Zackai
shira.zackai@beyondmeat.com

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¹ USA TODAY: Chicken shortage 2021: Chicken wings, breasts scarce at restaurants
² Based on US CLT results, May 2021, 95% CI, n=200
³ WSJ: Chicken Shortage Sends Prices Soaring, and Restaurants Can’t Keep Up
⁴ SPINS 12 weeks ending 5/18/21, Total US MULO and NEC
⁵ NPD SupplyTrack data - 1 Month ending May 2021 (5/29/21) excl. large commercial chain underrepresentation & Food Stores

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