EL SEGUNDO, CA – Beyond Meat®, the plant-based burger innovator, announced a partnership with one of the nation’s largest food distributors—Sysco. The foodservice provider will add Beyond Meat’s Beyond Burger®, a plant-based burger designed to look, cook, and satisfied like traditional beef, to its Sysco’s Cutting Edge Solutions (CES) program.

“Similar to how we’ve partnered with conventional grocery stores to bring the Beyond Burger to the meat aisle where everyday consumers shop for protein, we are thrilled to be a part of Sysco’s Cutting Edge Solutions program to bring The Beyond Burger to menus alongside beef at thousands of mainstream restaurants nationwide,” said Ethan Brown, CEO of Beyond Meat, in a press release.

According to the company’s release, the exclusive deal between Sysco and Beyond Meat will allow the ground-breaking Beyond Burger to be distributed in thousands of burger joints, restaurant chains, hospitality properties, healthcare centers, and educational facilities nationwide.

Beyond Meat also noted that the company’s partnership with Sysco represents a broader cultural shift, as U.S. consumers increase their consumption of plant-based foods. According to a recent NPD Study, 70 percent of meat eaters are substituting a non-meat protein in a meal at least once a week, and 22 percent say they are doing it more often than a year ago. And while taste remains a key factor in food purchases, increasing concern for the health benefits of foods are one of the top reasons consumers have opted to sub in plant-based protein.

The Beyond Burger is primed to tap into that increasingly health-conscious consumer base with a naturally cholesterol-free product boasting 20g of protein. The Beyond Burger also contains no GMOs, soy, or gluten, making it accessible to a number of groups with dietary restrictions.

“Cutting Edge Solutions is Sysco’s unique product innovation platform designed to give our customers differentiated products and solutions to meet the challenges of the competitive foodservice industry,” said Brian Todd, Senior Vice President of Merchandising, Sysco. “Each year, we evaluate emerging food trends to hand-select our CES featured productions. Our exclusive distribution of the innovative Beyond Burger helps our customers appeal to a growing group of consumers seeking better-for-you products.”

Beyond Meat’s Beyond Burger launched in 2016 and is currently sold at grocery stores nationwide. Through its new partnership with Sysco, the company will potentially be able to reach tens of thousands of restaurant and foodservice establishments, enabling millions more people to experience what the company calls the “Future of Protein®.”

Will plant-based foods continue their upward momentum, with products like the Beyond Burger taking center stage in menus across the country? AndNowUKnow will keep you up-to-date.

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