Beyond Meatballs are headed to Walmart! The California-based brand recently announced that its vegan meatballs will be sold at 2,100 Walmart stores across the United States beginning next month. The meatballs are slated to be sold in a slew of Walmart locations that already carry various Beyond Meat products.
This marks the second expansion of Beyond Meat product offerings at Walmart in 2021. Back in March, the big-box retailer began selling Beyond Meat’s plant-based burger value pack as well as the brand’s vegan hot Italian sausages.
“At Beyond Meat, we are proud to offer a growing portfolio of plant-based meat products that enables us to expand our retail presence,” Chuck Muth, chief growth officer of Beyond Meat, said in a statement shared with LIVEKINDLY. “The addition of Beyond Meatballs to Walmart shelves allows us to make available more of our delicious, nutritious and sustainable plant-based options.”
Given that demand for plant-based meat options has continued to grow, it makes sense that Beyond Meat would want to add to its existing Walmart range. While the retailer has been the focus of many controversies over the years, its expansive reach and frequent ability to sell goods (including many vegan options!) at lower prices, is virtually unmatched.
Beyond Meatballs made its retail debut in September 2020, and three months later the plant-based product launched at Costco. The vegan meatballs, which are “pre-seasoned with a signature blend of Italian spices,” come pre-rolled and ready to cook. They were designed to deliver the “authentic Italian meatball experience” but boast 30 percent less saturated fat and sodium than traditional Italian-style meatballs made with meat.
Beyond Meatballs aren’t the only Beyond treats Walmart shoppers can expect to see this summer. The chain will also be hosting a series of summer grilling pop-ups at locations across Dallas and southern California, featuring Beyond Meat food trucks with free product samples. Visitors can expect to taste Beyond Sausage, as well as the latest version of the Beyond Burger, which launched last month.
Beyond Meat’s Worldwide Expansion
Beyond Meat has proven itself to be a force to be reckoned with in the plant-based market, and has seen continued growth and success in several different areas.
In February, the brand partnered with McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and KFC to expand each chain’s plant-based menu offerings. And earlier this year, Beyond Meat and PepsiCo joined forces to develop vegan products that have yet to be announced. Additionally, Beyond Meat products are now available in 7,000 CVS locations around the country.
According to the most recent SPINS and NPD data, Beyond Meat is the No. 1 selling plant-based meat brand in the refrigerated category at U.S. grocery stores and across U.S. total foodservice.
Beyond Meat has also increased its retail momentum across Europe, Australia, and other global markets in an effort to increase worldwide accessibility to plant-based meat products. To that end, Starbucks added two new breakfast sandwiches made with Beyond Meat to its Middle East menus in January and launched vegan pork in China last November. The company is also in the process of building a massive production facility in the Asian country.
