Beyond Meat Launches Caffeinated Plant Protein Energy Drink

Beyond Meat introduces a caffeinated energy drink with plant protein and no dairy, expanding its product line into the energy drink market.

Beyond Meat has released Beyond Immerse Protein + Energy, a caffeinated version of its sparkling plant protein drink that contains 160mg of caffeine per serving, sourced from coffee beans and guarana extract. The drink comes in Cherry Berry and Watermelon Strawberry and is sold only through the company’s direct-to-consumer site, BeyondPlantProtein.com. “We believe plants have superpowers, and few are as widely appreciated by consumers as caffeine” The energy variant has the same nutrition panel as the standard Beyond Immerse range: 20g of plant protein and 5g of fiber per serving, plus electrolytes and vitamin A from beta-carotene, with no GMOs or dairy. The fiber figure is lower than the 7g per can listed when the drink entered New York retail in June. Beyond Meat is also adding three flavors to the caffeine-free Beyond Immerse line. Watermelon Strawberry is available now, and Limoncello Ginger and Yuzu Grapefruit are listed as coming soon, with no release dates given. The additions join Peach Mango, Strawberry Lemonade and Cherry Berry. Strawberry Lemonade and Cherry Berry were two of the four limited-time flavors the company trialed on its Beyond Test Kitchen site in February. The caffeinated drink launches on the same site as Phytosphere, the nutrition portfolio Beyond Meat introduced in September. Phytosphere includes Starmatter protein powder, Starcut jerky-style bars and a vegetable-forward burger, and Starmatter has since received a Clean Label Project Purity Award. Beyond Immerse moved off direct-to-consumer sales through a deal with New York distributor Big Geyser, which covers more than 26,000 outlets across grocery, convenience, foodservice and other channels in the metro area. The drink then reached Erewhon’s 14 stores in Southern California in August. Ethan Brown, Founder and CEO of Beyond Meat, explained, “We believe plants have superpowers, and few are as widely appreciated by consumers as caffeine. As we add energy to the Beyond Immerse portfolio, we are staying true to our approach: great taste and carefully selected, limited ingredients that help consumers thrive.”

Read source: Vegconomist