Los Angeles-based Beyond Meat’s expansion to the People’s Republic of China announced in early September, is already taking shape with a new product roll-out for the Chinese market.

From Shanghai, Beyond Meat officials said their newest product produced in China is trademarked as “Beyond Pork.”

The company said the plant-based minced pork is Beyond Meat’s latest cutting edge innovation, and its first product developed specifically for the Chinese market. Through Nov. 24, five popular Shanghai restaurants are featuring the new offering in ground pork dishes.

Beyond Meat’s statement said  Beyond Pork is “designed to deliver the sumptuous taste, juicy texture and culinary versatility similar to traditional minced pork,”  Beyond Pork was created specifically for the Chinese market and is the next step forward in Beyond Meat’s commitment to creating high-quality products that meet consumers’ demand for delicious, nutritious and sustainable protein.

“We’re excited to launch Beyond Pork in China, marking a milestone for Beyond Meat as we are not only launching an entirely new product innovation, but our first plant-based meat product created specifically for the Chinese market,” said Candy Chan, China general manager for Beyond Meat.

“With Beyond Pork, Beyond Meat is providing even more delicious options for consumers to continue to eat their favorite dishes while enjoying the added nutritional and environmental benefits of plant-based meat. Beyond Pork’s exclusive debut in China furthers Beyond Meat’s commitment to this important market and its vision for plant-based meat to continue winning the hearts — and mouths — of Chinese consumers.”

The company statement said minced pork is featured in many Chinese dishes, making China the perfect place for Beyond Pork to show off its potential. From dumplings and mapo tofu to zhajiang noodles and lion’s head meatballs, Beyond Pork delivers the meaty taste and texture that Chinese consumers crave but with about 50 percent less saturated and total fat. Made from simple plant-based ingredients, like rice and soybeans, Beyond Pork offers a  source of protein with 18.5g per 100g serving and has no antibiotics or hormones.

To celebrate the launch of Beyond Pork, Beyond Meat is partnering with five popular restaurants in Shanghai, one of China’s food capitals. The roster of partner restaurants features some of the hottest names in Shanghai’s food scene, including Egg, Moménti, RAC, Solo X, and Tun Wang.

“I was very impressed the first time I tried Beyond Pork; I even thought the chef must have actually used traditional animal pork mince by mistake. I think our fans are going to be very impressed when they try it — I bet they won’t even be able to tell the difference either,” said Simon Briens, co-founder of RAC restaurant.

about Beyond Meat
Beyond Meat signed an agreement earlier this year with  Jiaxing Economic & Technological Development Zone “to design and develop manufacturing facilities in the JXEDZ, including a state-of-the-art production facility to manufacture plant-based meat products including beef, pork, and chicken under the Beyond Meat brand in China,” according to the company’s officials.

Jiaxing is a northern, water-connected Chinese city.  The JXEDZ, according to Beyond Meat, is a new “historic and commercially important development zone with ready access to Shanghai.”

Beyond Meat, Inc. (NASDAQ: BYND) is a global protein company, offering a portfolio of plant-based meats. Founded in 2009, Beyond Meat products are made from plant-based ingredients and designed to have the same taste and texture as animal-based meat, while being better for people and the planet, according to the statement. Beyond Meat’s trademarked brand commitment, Eat What You Love, represents a strong belief that there is a better way to feed the future and that the positive choices, no matter how small, can have a great impact.

As of Sept. 26, 2020, Beyond Meat had products available at about 122,000 retail and foodservice outlets in more than 80 countries.