Live Episode! Beyond Meat: Ethan Brown

In a special live recording of 'How I Built This with Guy Raz', Ethan Brown, founder and CEO of Beyond Meat, shares the journey of his company, which is at the forefront of a movement to replace traditional animal meat with plant-based alternatives. The episode begins with Ethan recounting his unique upbringing, where he spent considerable time on a dairy farm despite living in the city. This duality exposed him to the realities of animal farming from a young age, leading to a growing discomfort with consuming animal products as he matured.

Ethan's professional life initially led him to the clean tech sector, where he spent a decade working on hydrogen fuel cells. However, his passion for addressing the sustainability issues associated with livestock and his deep-seated compassion for animals compelled him to pivot towards creating a plant-based alternative to meat. Despite lacking a background in food science or the food industry, Ethan's unwavering belief that animal meat wasn't necessary for creating 'meat' drove him to start Beyond Meat. He funded his early research by selling his home and taking a risk by importing a soy-based product from Taiwan to sell in Whole Foods, demonstrating his commitment and giving him credibility with potential partners and investors.

Ethan's turning point came when he discovered research at the University of Missouri, where two scientists were working on reorganizing plant proteins to resemble animal muscle. He collaborated with them and furthered the research with the help of a grant from the state of Maryland. Over time, Beyond Meat developed its initial products, such as chicken strips and ground beef substitutes, eventually launching the Beyond Burger, which is designed to mimic a beef burger in taste, texture, and even appearance with its beet juice-induced 'bleed.' Despite the challenges and skepticism he faced, Ethan secured investments from notable figures like Bill Gates and companies like Kleiner Perkins, which helped propel Beyond Meat into a leading position in the plant-based meat industry. The company's mission is not to convince people to stop eating meat, but rather to offer them a sustainable and enjoyable alternative that doesn't require sacrifice.