Meat alternative manufacturer Beyond Meat has opened a second manufacturing facility in Colombia, Missouri, to respond to growing demand for plant-based meat products.
Beyond Meat says the new facility will triple the company’s production space from 30,000 to 100,000 square feet, increasing the production capacity of the company’s Beyond Burger and Beyond Sausage products.
The move follows the news that the company will introduce its product portfolio to over 50 countries over the course of the year, including the UK.
According to the company, the new facility will also support the growth of future product launches and will create more than 250 jobs throughout 2018.
Created with sustainable manufacturing practices in mind, the “state-of-the-art” facility features water recirculation systems that reduce water consumption in the production process by 80%.
Ethan Brown, CEO and founder of Beyond Meat said: “We first came to Missouri in 2009 to access the outstanding research being conducted at the University of Missouri.
“We have been investing in, and growing together with, Columbia, MO ever since, and I’m pleased to announce this latest manufacturing investment, our largest to date.
“Our expansion not only brings more jobs and opportunity to this special community but also furthers Missouri’s position as a leader in the production of plant-based meat.”
Mark Nelson, COO & CFO at Beyond Meat added: “This expansion in our production capacity will help us to meet the considerable increase in market demand we have seen for our new and innovative product offerings.
“Our expanded 100,000 square foot manufacturing footprint will provide the scale we need to service our rapidly growing retail, foodservice and international customer base.”
By Martin White
Source: FoodBev
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