Beyond Meat Shares Surge: Why Plant-Based is Back and Better than Ever

Beyond Meat is back with a vengeance after being added to a meme ETF and making a deal with Walmart.  Has the next phase of the plant-based revolution arrived?

Los Angeles, California – October 21st, 2025 – In news that delighted both Beyond Meat shareholders and vegans everywhere, shares of plant-based food maker Beyond Meat (NASDAQ: BYND) skyrocketed Tuesday after being added to the Roundhill Meme Stock ETF, sparking a rally that sent the stock shooting upward by 146% at one point, according to CNBC.

The ETF inclusion is part of a greater comeback story for Beyond Meat, which observers note has been targeted for takedown by what some refer to as Big Meat, an incumbent industry threatened by BYND’s wildly successful 2019 initial public offering as a public stock on the NASDAQ. To the certain degree, Beyond Meat became a victim of its own success when it was lauded as the poster child for delicious, affordable plant-based comfort food, especially its burgers and sausages. Sensing the threat, the meat industry launched a media war against the popular product with the help of mainstream writers all too eager to jump in on the bashing of plant-based alternatives. Now, it seems, the tide is turning yet again, signaling the rejuvenation of the plant-based movement as a consumer phenomenon.

BEYOND MEAT’S NEW BURGER, APPROVED BY AMERICAN HEART ASSOC

 You Cannot Stop an Idea Whose Time Has Come

Part of the PR war against Beyond Meat and other plant-based products revolved around a cynical campaign to attack plant-based meat alternatives as “ultra-processed,” an inaccurate and absurd claim given that its burgers are made from healthy vegetable proteins, like peas, rice and potatoes. Also, consider the alternative: processed meat is officially cancer-causing, according to the World Health Organization. And, Beyond Meat products, like all vegan products, contain zero cholesterol.

Nevertheless, Beyond Meat founder and CEO Ethan Brown decided to rise to the occasion and produce an even healthier version of Beyond Meat, with 35% less saturated fat and 12 grams of protein per serving, winning a stamp of approval from the American Heart Association.

Hello Walmart: Save Money, Live Better with Beyond

Beyond Meat has also just announced that Walmart will be giving the brand valuable shelf space for several of its products. The “Beyond Burger 6-pack” and “Beyond Chicken Pieces” will be showcased in 2,000 Walmart stores nationwide. Combine that with heavy retail trading and this iconic brand is seeing a reversal of fortune, moving from penny stock territory upward to quite possibly regaining its earlier glory as a huge stock market success.

By getting added to the meme-ETF, Beyond Meat’s jump made headlines, reminding the health conscious that this option is a smart one. It’s also a good choice for anyone who wants to combat climate change, which – hypothetically – should be everyone alive on this planet. As an Oxford University study reported in the New York Times showed, heavy meat-eaters (hint: most Americans) can reduce their greenhouse gas emissions footprint by a whopping 75% by switching to a plant-based diet. The reporters who attacked plant-based meat alternatives never seemed to get around to mentioning the environmental or health benefits of a plant-based diet, benefits that have been documented by numerous studies and showcased in books and documentaries like The China Study and The Game Changers. Maybe, now that Beyond Meat is back, those whose reports vary as the wind goes can start mentioning some of the many positives of Beyond Meat specifically and plant-based diets in general.

From sub-$1 levels just recently, Beyond Meat’s jump to a multi-dollar stock price is encouraging news for anyone who cares about health, the planet and, yes, animals. Let’s hope this strong tailwind continues and we can all sail to a healthier, more compassionate and more sustainable food system.