Former Employee Exposes Unsanitary Conditions At A Beyond Meat Factory
When Beyond Meat came onto the food scene back in 2009, people didn't know what to make of it. Per CNBC, people were initially leery of the product, which claimed to be a plant-based meat alternative so realistic it could fool even meat lovers.
Regardless, the company soon gained traction, and today is estimated to be worth billions. Beyond Meat offers a wide range of products like hamburger patties, sausages and meatballs, and chicken nuggets. The company has also worked with Taco Bell and Pizza Hut to create vegan- and vegetarian-friendly menu items.
But despite all of Beyond Meat's success over the last decade, the company is no stranger to trouble and controversy. Just in 2022, its stocks have dropped 83%, multiple lawsuits have alleged inaccurate labeling, and the company's COO was arrested for assaulting another man. If that wasn't enough, Beyond Meat is now in the news for another harrowing reason –- a former employee leaked information about unsanitary conditions in one of the company's factories.
How could a Beyond Meat factory become so unsanitary?
News broke on November 21 that a Pennsylvania Beyond Meat factory has major problems with bacterial outbreaks and other contamination. According to FoodBeast, an anonymous former employee leaked documentation of the incidents, which included several listeria outbreaks among the raw faux meat, mold growing on walls and equipment, and foreign objects falling into the food.
Per the Los Angeles Times, Pennsylvania's Department of Agriculture inspected the factory both in March and September and "found no instances of nonconformance with regulations." However, the September inspection was allegedly not a full inspection, so unsanitary conditions could have possibly slipped past notice.
Whatever the case may be, the former employee also shared photos of the factory's conditions, making at least the mold and unsafe equipment use very obvious. According to the New York Post, mold was even found in ingredient containers. Needless to say, no one can blame shoppers if they switch to Impossible Foods meat alternatives for the time being.