Beyond Meat unveils its Beyond IV platform, the fourth generation of the Beyond Burger and Beyond Beef

Beyond Meat has announced the fourth generation of its core beef platform, Beyond IV, resulting in the unveiling of the company’s new Beyond Burger and Beyond Beef exclusively at retail. The company stated that the new platform raises the bar for plant-based meat products and center-of-the-plate protein generally, and further cements Beyond Meat’s commitment to creating plant-based meat products that not only taste delicious but deliver important nutritional benefits.

The Beyond IV product lines are the result of a multi-year research effort in collaboration with leading medical and nutrition experts designed to meet the standards of top health organizations. The extensive renovation focused on delivering goodness from plants – high-quality protein, good fats, fiber and key nutrients – in the company’s meatiest products yet.

One of the most impactful changes to the recipe is the shift to avocado oil, which helped reduce the saturated fat in the products by 60% to just 2g per serving while still delivering a juicy, mouthwatering eating experience. Avocado oil is high in monounsaturated fats which the American Heart Association recommends as a heart-healthy choice. Additionally, Beyond Meat reduced the sodium in the new platform by 20%, and added nutrient-dense plant-based ingredients including red lentil and faba bean protein while simultaneously simplifying the ingredient list.

These strong advancements in nutrition have qualified the new products to be recognized by the nation’s leading health organizations, including the American Diabetes Association’s evidence-based nutritional guidelines for its Better Choices for Life program and being included in a collection of heart-healthy recipes certified by the American Heart Association’s Heart-Check program. Additionally, the new products have received Good Housekeeping’s coveted Nutritionist Approved Emblem which assesses food products based on specific nutritional criteria as well as taste, simplicity, and transparency, and are the first plant-based meat products to be Clean Label Project Certified.

“Beyond IV represents a transformative step forward in delivering plant-based nutrition to the consumer in the form of meat," commented Ethan Brown, Beyond Meat Founder & CEO. "The development of the new products occurred within an ecosystem of leading medical and nutrition experts, and were designed to meet the standards of national health organizations to create a product that delivers the taste, satisfaction, and utility of 80/20 beef – yet is demonstrably healthier. Every ingredient in this fourth iteration was thoughtfully selected to bring the nutritional power of plants – from the heart-healthy monounsaturated fats in avocado oil, to the protein and fiber in peas, red lentils, faba beans and brown rice. There is goodness throughout Beyond IV, and we are excited to pass along these benefits to the consumer.”

At a recent conference of registered dietitians, 94% of attendees said they enjoyed the taste of the new Beyond Burger, viewed it as healthful, and would recommend it. Beloved by the health community for its strong nutritional profile, avocado oil also has multiple culinary benefits. Its smoother, more neutral flavor allowed Beyond Meat to unlock an even meatier, beefy flavor in its new platform, and because avocado oil has a higher smoke point, the new beef is designed to sizzle and BBQ even better than before. This meatier flavor and taste was preferred in consumer testing4, and feedback on the new burger overall was overwhelmingly positive.

The new Beyond Burger and Beyond Beef offer 21g of protein with 21g per serving (more protein than 80/20 beef) derived from peas, brown rice, red lentils and faba beans. It features just 2g of sat fat derived from avocado oil (75% less sat fat than 80/20 beef), 20% less sodium than the previous version, no cholesterol, no added antibiotics or hormones, and no GMOs

To celebrate the new platform, and give consumers an inside look as the company chases the perfect build of meat from plants, Beyond Meat created a documentary-style short film featuring leading doctors, nutritionists, ecologists, and historians who explore the powerful and urgent opportunity to simultaneously heal our bodies and earth by putting plant-based nutrition at the center of the plate, a teaser for which is being made available today on the Beyond Meat YouTube channel.