Beyond Meat is moving beyond plant-based chicken and burgers and into the beverage market.

The company introduced Beyond Immerse, a protein drink, on Thursday. It’s the first time Beyond Meat has introduced a non-meat product in its 17-year history.

Beyond Immerse, which gets its protein from peas, comes in two options: one with 10 g of protein and 60 calories and one with 20 g of protein and 100 calories. Both contain 7 g of fibre to promote gut health as well as Vitamin C and electrolytes.

The drink, which comes in three flavours, will be available for a limited time on Beyond Meat’s new direct-to-consumer website, Beyond Test Kitchen. El Segundo, California-based Beyond Meat said it will be watching customer response closely and will determine the drink’s future from there.

Beyond Meat’s pivot comes as plant-based meat sales falter. In the first nine months of 2025, Beyond Meat’s revenue was down nearly 20 per cent. In October, Beyond Meat’s shares plunged below US$1 as investors fretted over the company’s plans to cut its debt by issuing more shares.

U.S. customers have been put off by the taste of Beyond Meat’s products and their long list of ingredients. Beyond Meat responded with new, healthier products, but they’ve been hard for consumers to find as groceries moved them from the meat department to the freezer aisle. Beyond Meat’s higher prices compared to other lean protein sources have also hurt sales.

At the same time, customer interest in protein and functional food and beverages is exploding. In a September report, the market research firm Circana found that nearly half of Americans were actively trying to increase their protein intake.

Starbucks and Dunkin’ have introduced protein drinks in recent months. Even Pop Tarts introduced a protein version late last year.

Beyond Meat spokeswoman Shira Zackai said Beyond Immerse was a logical step for the company.

“We really have developed tremendous expertise in bringing the nutrients in plants to the consumer,” Zackai said. “Consumers are looking for protein outside the centre of the plate and we know that plants can deliver that. We’re excited to get into new categories and offer that in different ways.”

Zackai added that Beyond Immerse isn’t a smoothie or a meal replacement. It has a lighter consistency and is ideal as a post-workout drink, she said.

In a November conference call with investors, Beyond Meat founder and CEO Ethan Brown said the company’s direct-to-consumer website is an ideal way to test consumer reaction quickly as the company moves away from pure meat-based products. He also said Beyond Meat would be emphasizing the “Beyond” in its name as the company moves forward.

“That’s really around broadening the aperture of our business. We have tremendous innovation capabilities and I want to make sure that those are being put to the best use for the consumer,” Brown said.

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