Ethan Brown: Stats and Facts on the CEO of Beyond Meat

About CEO:

• Name: Ethan Walden Brown
• Age: 53 (born 1971)
• Education:
  • BA in History and Government, Connecticut College
  • MPP (Master of Public Policy, an academic degree.) with a focus on Environment, University of Maryland
  • MBA, Columbia University
• Career Highlights:
  • Founder, President & CEO of Beyond Meat (2009-present)
  • Beyond Meat joint venture with PepsiCo
  • Director, The PLANeT Partnership
  • Vice Chairman of the Board, National Hydrogen Association
  • Secretary, U.S. Fuel Cell Council
  • Former energy analyst & fuel cell industry expert
  • Honored by Inc.’s Best Led Companies, Bloomberg 50, Newsweek’s Top Innovators
  • Recipient of UN’s Champion of the Earth award (2018) with Beyond Meat

Beyond Meat:

• Founded: 2009
• IPO: May 2, 2019 (Nasdaq: BYND)
• Headquarter: El Segundo, California, United States
• Mission: “To create the world’s leading plant-based protein company, offering more delicious, humane, and sustainable meat alternatives.”
• Products: Plant-based burgers, sausages, ground “meat,” chicken strips, meatballs and more
• Retail presence: Beyond Meat branded products were available at approximately 191,000 retail and foodservice outlets in over 80 countries worldwide

Impact:

• Market leader: Beyond Meat is the leading plant-based meat company in the U.S. by retail sales and becoming the first plant-based meat company to do so.
• Awards:
  • Inc.’s Best Led Companies 2021
  • The Bloomberg 50 for 2019
  • Newsweek’s Top Innovators of 2019
  • Champion of the Earth award from the United Nations (2018)
  • An Aspen Institute Henry Crown Fellow
• Financial performance:
  • Revenue: $464 million (2022)
  • Net income: -$100 million (2022)
  • Stock price: ~$15 per share (as of February 23, 2024)
  • Gross profit: ~ $2.3 million
• Challenges: Recent financial struggles, competition from other plant-based meat companies, and maintaining consumer interest.
• Future: The plant-based meat market is expected to be worth $85 billion by 2030

Interesting Facts:

• Beyond Meat products are made from plant-based ingredients like pea protein, mung bean, and brown rice
• The company claims that its products use 90% less water, 46% less land, and generate 90% fewer greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional animal meat production
• Beyond Meat has been criticized for the high price of its products and the use of certain ingredients, such as coconut oil
• The company is facing increasing competition from other plant-based meat producers

Overall: Ethan Brown’s leadership at Beyond Meat has significantly contributed to the growth and mainstream adoption of plant-based meat alternatives. While facing challenges, he remains a prominent figure in the sustainable food movement.