Beyond Meat, How Do You Plead?
By M.P. Cremer
Like any Southern woman, I do enjoy hearing about a good scandal. I should be ashamed of this guilty pleasure, but who doesn’t love to hear a juicy piece of gossip?
Furthermore, who doesn’t love to hear a juicy piece of gossip about someone they despise? It gives me great pleasure to share the juicy, ridiculous, unbelievable scandals Beyond Meat is engulfed in at this very moment.
The first scandal comes as no surprise and has been going on for quite some time. According to Food and Beverage Insider, two class action lawsuits have recently been filed against Beyond Meat for allegedly making “false and misleading” claims regarding the protein content of its products.
One case filed on May 31 claims, “Beyond Meat Inc. deceptively overstates the protein content of its plant-based patties and other meat alternative foods, consumers allege in a new proposed class action in federal court in Illinois.”
“Angelique Roberts and five other Illinois residents allege Beyond Meat misleads consumers into thinking the plant-based products provide nutritional benefits equal to those found in traditional meat products,” the claim continues.
This case is coupled with a separate case in California, filed on June 2 on behalf of Don Lee Farms, a former producer for Beyond Meat.
“Something is really wrong at Beyond Meat. Beyond Meat’s problems are many, but they trace to one root cause: the company’s tendency to over-promise and under-deliver, then scramble for excuses,” the case states.
The case also went on to accuse Beyond Meat of overstating the daily protein value on these flagship products by between 12 and 30 percent.
The third scandal – and possibly the most entertaining, yet most disturbing – involves Beyond Meat Chief Operating Officer Doug Ramsey going full zombie mode on someone after a football game and biting someone’s nose off.
I’ll allow a moment for you to pause and scream “WHAT?!” like I did when I first read the headlines informing me of this incident.
Evidently, Ramsey attended a University of Arkansas football game this past weekend.
As reported by the Consumer and Business Channel, “The altercation happened in a parking garage near Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville after a University of Arkansas football game, according to a preliminary police report. Local television station Northwest Arkansas and River Valley News first reported Ramsey’s arrest.”
“Ramsey allegedly punched through the back windshield of a Subaru after it made contact with the front tire of Ramsey’s car. The Subaru owner then got out of his car, and Ramsey allegedly started punching him and bit his nose, ‘ripping the flesh on the tip of the nose,’ according to the report. The victim and a witness also alleged Ramsey told the Subaru owner he would kill him.”
So, after reading this, you probably have the same question I did: When did human noses become vegan?
And the icing on the cake? Beyond Meat’s stock has plummeted and is down roughly 75 percent since the beginning of the year.
Oh, how the mighty (or, “fake-meaty”) have fallen – am I right?
I’ll keep everyone updated on the scandals of Beyond Meat’s lawsuits as I get them. Until then, enjoy a real burger with real meat and try not to bite anyone’s nose off.
