Beyond Meat looks to China with new shop on JD.com

Plant-based meat has taken off in the US, but Beyond Meat is looking across the Pacific to grow its brand. Beyond Meat is now available on e-commerce marketplace JD.com, in an effort to grow sales in China.

Meat your maker: China is the world’s largest meat market, and meat alternatives are scarce, Reuters notes.

• The expansion will boost Beyond Meat’s availability in major cities like Beijing and Shanghai and eventually to 300 cities across the country.
• JD.com’s cold warehouses will deliver Beyond Meat to consumers within 48 hours of ordering.
• Beyond Meat is currently available in China at 3,300+ Starbucks cafes, select KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell locations, and Alibaba’s Freshippo markets.

Uphill battle: Plant-based meat alternatives might struggle in China, where consumers are concerned about food safety and taste.

• “Currently, it is a solo dance by the manufacturers, the consumers are not joining the tango,” food industry analyst Zhu Danpeng told Reuters.
• Beyond Meat competitor Impossible Foods entered Chinese grocery stores in October 2020, followed by Nestlé’s Harvest Gourmet in December.

The big picture: Despite some hurdles, the payoff could be huge. Online fresh food sales in China are predicted to top $46 billion this year—that’s an 18% bump from 2020.—KM