Beyond & Impossible Burgers Were Everywhere - What Happened?
Margaret Guzman | Business Insider | 2 March 2026
In 2019, the plant-based meat industry experienced explosive growth. Investors poured hundreds of millions of dollars into companies like Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods. Fast-food giants like McDonald’s and Burger King rolled out plant-based burgers nationwide. Even celebrities like Snoop Dogg and Katy Perry backed the movement. But then momentum stalled. Since the early 2020s, plant-based meat sales have cooled, and prices remain high. Critics question how ultra-processed these products are. And some meat industry groups have pushed back with advertising campaigns and lobbying efforts. So, what caused the decline of plant-based meat? And why is it still so expensive?
00:00 - Introduction
01:16 - Start of the plant-based meat craze
02:55- Rise of Beyond and Impossible
06:32 - Attacking plant-based meat
08:24 - Plant-based meat as ultra-processed
10:19 - Fall of the industry
11:27 - How does it taste?
16:19 - Future of the industry
19:36 - Credits
