MW Restaurants really don't want to sell fake meat - and Beyond Meat is suffering

By Bill Peters

Beyond Meat's stock fell further on Wednesday after the maker of meat alternatives offered a weak forecast

Shares of Beyond Meat have fallen nearly 56% over the past 12 months.

Consumers have been engaged in a months-long flight from meat alternatives, and Beyond Meat's outlook suggests things could get tougher from here.

Shares of Beyond Meat (BYND) - known for plant-based burgers and, more recently, things like protein drinks - sank nearly 10% after hours on Wednesday, after the company's second-quarter sales forecast came up short of Wall Street's expectations.

The drop in Beyond Meat's stock price follows an extended stretch of weaker demand, as consumers have steered clear of more expensive plant-based meat alternatives. The company has also stepped up efforts to clean up its finances and regulatory disclosures.

Beyond Meat on Wednesday called out lower demand from quick-service restaurants abroad and "weak category demand and reduced points of distribution in the U.S. retail and food-service channels." Part of the company's expansion in years past depended on placing its items in grocery-store meat sections and striking deals with restaurant chains to land plant-based items on their menus.

Beyond Meat on Wednesday said it expects second-quarter sales of around $60 million to $65 million, below analyst estimates for $67 million. It cited an "elevated level of uncertainty and volatility within its operating environment."

That outlook followed a 15.3% drop in sales to $58.2 million during the company's first quarter - a figure that nonetheless edged past Wall Street's low expectations for $58 million. Beyond Meat reported a 6-cent per-share loss, much narrower than a year ago and not as bad as the 14-cent loss analysts expected.

The company said it had cash and cash equivalents of $205.8 million, with a total outstanding carrying value of debt, net of discounts, of $411.6 million.

Shares of Beyond Meat have fallen 55.6% over the past 12 months.

-Bill Peters

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May 06, 2026 17:47 ET (21:47 GMT)

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