Beyond Meat Expands Plant-Based Production In Europe With Two New Facilities In The Netherlands

Last week, Beyond Meat announced the company’s first co-manufacturing capabilities in Europe with the official opening of the Zandbergen co-manufacturing facility in Zoeterwoude, the Netherlands.

The new state-of-the-art facility, owned and operated by Zandbergen World’s Finest Meat, will produce the plant-based Beyond Burger and Beyond Sausage. The partnership is intended to allow for more efficient distribution of Beyond Meat’s products across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA).

Production at the new Zandbergen co-manufacturing facility will also include the upcoming debut of new packaging for both the Beyond Burger and Beyond Sausage available in EMEA. The lighter, more sustainable packaging aligns with Beyond Meat’s commitment to sustainability and will feature fully recyclable trays and 30% less material overall by reducing paper and plastic use.

Beyond Meat also marked a milestone recently with the acquisition of its first manufacturing facility in Europe located in Enschede, the Netherlands. This Beyond Meat owned facility will be the first outside of Missouri to handle Beyond Meat’s innovative approach to texturizing plant proteins, which is the first step in the company’s manufacturing process. The new Beyond Meat facility is expected to be operational by the end of 2020.

“This latest investment in production capacity reflects our continued commitment to serving global markets,” Ethan Brown, Founder and CEO of Beyond Meat said in a statement. “Our new facility in Enschede will not only bring production closer to the consumer, representing an investment in the markets and communities we serve, but is expected to allow us to leverage local supply chains, improving our cost structure and sustainability of operations. We are excited to take this next step in bringing the nutritional and environmental benefits of our plant-based meats to the European consumer.”

The new Zandbergen co-manufacturing facility is expected to have a lighter environmental impact and features the latest in building and production technology:

• Built to BREEAM Outstanding standards, which are among the highest and most widely accepted sustainability standards for buildings in Europe

• Boasts economical use of energy and raw materials while ensuring tight controls around waste management and transportation to reduce emissions

WAN is thrilled about Beyond Meat’s new collaboration with a co-manufacturing company, as well as the inauguration of its own manufacturing facility in Europe. We look forward to a future where delicious plant-based products are widely available in every country across the globe.