Beyond Meat (NASDAQ:BYND) held its 2026 annual meeting of stockholders virtually on May 20, with shareholders re-electing three directors and ratifying the company’s auditor, while rejecting an advisory vote on executive compensation.
Seth Goldman, chair of the board of directors, called the meeting to order at 8:00 a.m. Pacific Time and said the virtual format was intended to “expand access, facilitate stockholder attendance, reduce costs, enable improved communication” and reduce the environmental impact of the meeting.
Stockholders Re-Elect Directors, Reject Say-on-Pay Proposal
Goldman said stockholders voted on three proposals, all of which had been recommended for approval by the board. Based on preliminary results from the inspector of election, stockholders elected Seth Goldman, Kathy N. Waller and Alexandre Zyngier as Class I directors to serve until the 2029 annual meeting.
Stockholders also ratified the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP as Beyond Meat’s independent registered public accounting firm for the 2026 fiscal year.
However, the advisory proposal to approve the compensation of the company’s named executive officers was not approved. Goldman said final voting results would be included in a current report on Form 8-K to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
CEO Addresses Beyond Jerky and Product Strategy
Following the formal business portion of the meeting, Paul Sheppard, vice president of FP&A and investor relations, moderated a brief question-and-answer session with Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer Ethan Brown.
One stockholder asked why Beyond Jerky had been discontinued, describing it as the company’s best product in terms of “taste, texture, and convenience.” Brown said he also liked the product and called it “a terrific product we had with PepsiCo.” He said the company had been working to improve its margin profile and that some products in the partnership “weren’t hitting the margin expectations” Beyond Meat had.
Brown added that the company still likes the broader platform and usage occasion, but he did not commit to bringing back the same product. “While not committing to that particular form, I will tell you to stay tuned,” he said.
Brown Defends Health Focus While Citing Taste Wins
Another shareholder questioned whether the company had placed too much emphasis on health, particularly in restaurants, and suggested that non-vegan consumers may care more about taste than nutritional positioning.
Brown said Beyond Meat distinguishes between retail and foodservice offerings, noting that restaurant products may be designed for more indulgent occasions. He said health remains important in retail and argued that consumer perceptions of plant-based meat were affected by “misinformation campaigns.”
Brown said the company’s work with organizations including the American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association, Clean Label Project and Stanford School of Medicine had helped improve the health profile of its products “in a way that doesn’t jeopardize the taste profile.” He pointed to a national survey in which he said Beyond Meat has won best plant-based burger for eight consecutive years, even as the product formula changed.
Investor Concern Over Share Price Decline
A shareholder also raised concerns about the decline in share value and asked when investors could expect improvement, as well as whether the company faced bankruptcy risk.
Brown encouraged investors to listen to the company’s earnings calls and said Beyond Meat has a strategy focused on its core products, including burgers, sausage and steak. He said the company has worked to restore distribution in retail markets, expand its core in Europe and recover in foodservice.
Brown also said Beyond Meat is positioning itself as a broader plant protein company over a five-year horizon, with products aimed at different consumer occasions. He cited the Beyond Drink platform and additional platforms expected later in the year as examples of how the company is “broadening the aperture” to create additional returns and stabilize the company for shareholders.
Sustainability and Test Kitchen Remain Priorities
In response to a question about sustainability and biodiversity, Brown said sustainability remains central to Beyond Meat’s mission, along with human health, climate, natural resource use and animal welfare. He used the company’s protein drink efforts as an example, contrasting legume-based ingredients with whey protein, which he described as resource-intensive.
Brown said legumes can help restore soil by fixing nitrogen, potentially reducing fertilizer needs and runoff. “Everything we do has an environmental lens to it,” he said, adding that the company is not deviating from those values even if they are not currently “being measured or appreciated by many consumers.”
Brown also discussed the Beyond Test Kitchen, the company’s direct-to-consumer channel for testing new products. He described it as an inexpensive, iterative way to explore categories outside the company’s core, including drinks and other platforms expected later this year.
In closing remarks, Brown said Beyond Meat is committed to its mission to “meaningfully impact how we deliver protein to consumers globally” and thanked stockholders for their continued support.
About Beyond Meat (NASDAQ:BYND)
Beyond Meat, Inc (NASDAQ: BYND) develops, manufactures and sells plant-based meat substitutes designed to replicate the taste, texture and appearance of animal-based proteins. Since its founding in 2009 by Ethan Brown and initial public offering in 2019, the company has focused on leveraging proprietary technology and ingredient blends to produce a suite of products that cater to both retail and foodservice channels. Beyond Meat’s mission centers on offering more sustainable protein options by reducing reliance on livestock farming and its associated environmental footprint.
The company’s product portfolio includes Beyond Burger, Beyond Sausage, Beyond Beef and Beyond Chicken, each formulated to appeal to a broad range of consumers seeking meat alternatives without compromising on flavor or cooking versatility.
