Suzy Amis Cameron Partners with Beyond Meat® to Feed North Carolina School Kids Through Beyond Meat’s Feed A Million+ Pledge

North Carolina students in the National School Lunch Program will receive plant-based Beyond Burgers at no cost, offering a nourishing meal to serve families in need during a difficult time

May 12, 2020–– Beyond Meat® (NASDAQ: BYND) delivered the first batch of Beyond Burgers® to Durham County, North Carolina for kids in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). Environmental advocate and author, Suzy Amis Cameron says, “I’m so grateful to be able to nominate Durham County school kids to benefit from Beyond Meat’s Feed a Million+ program. The Beyond Burger donations provide kids a nourishing, protein-packed meal with climate-friendly food that protects our beautiful planet.”

The Beyond Burger donation will be received by Durham FEAST, an innovative partnership between Durham Public Schools, Durham County Government and a coalition of local nonprofits and restaurants.

Why School Lunch Programs?

The second-largest food assistance program in the country, the NSLP feeds 7 billion meals annually to 30 million K-12 kids, providing low-cost or free lunches each school day. North Carolina has more than 800,000 students that qualify for free and reduced lunch. By providing Beyond Burgers, Durham FEAST is able to serve healthy plant-based foods that fulfill students’ nutritional needs and take care of their future planet.

Why North Carolina?

Covid-19 has worsened existing challenges in North Carolina, with growing unemployment and an ongoing public health and environmental crisis due to its high concentration of industrial factory farms. The massive burden of meat and dairy production disproportionately affects communities of color and low-income North Carolinians. Hurricanes are becoming more powerful and frequent due to climate change, and the state’s air and water are polluted by overflowing hog waste lagoons.

Why Beyond Meat?

Beyond Meat is on a mission to perfectly build meat from plants. The brand’s promise is to Eat What You LoveTM, an idea in which consumers can eat more rather than less of the meals they love by shifting the protein at the center of the plate to plant based meat, and by doing so, can address concerns related to human health, environment, natural resources and animal welfare.

Nutritional Benefits of the Beyond Burger

All of Beyond Meat’s products are designed to meet or exceed the nutritional profile of its animal protein counterpart. Compared to an 80/20 beef burger, the Beyond Burger has:

  • More protein, with 20g per 4oz patty
  • 35% less saturated fat
  • Less total fat
  • No cholesterol
  • Made without soy, gluten, GMOs or artificially produced ingredients and is free from heme iron, antibiotics and hormones

Environmental Impact of the Beyond Burger

The production of a Beyond Burger, when compared to that of a ¼ lb US beef burger, uses:

  • 99% less water
  • 93% less land
  • 90% fewer greenhouse gas emissions
  • 46% less energy

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Bios

Suzy Amis Cameron is the founder of One Meal a Day for the Planet (OMD), author of The OMD Plan (Simon & Schuster, 2019), and founder of MUSE School and Red Carpet Green Dress. A noted environmental advocate, mother of five, and former actor in over 25 films, including Titanic and The Usual Suspects, she is also an executive producer of The Game Changers.

Zakiyaa Taylor is the North Carolina Field Organizer for One Meal a Day for the Planet (OMD). She works with schools, restaurants and the community to create an equitable and environmentally sustainable local food system. A recent graduate of North Carolina A&T State University with a degree in Urban & Community Horticulture, she is obsessed with the culinary arts, community gardens and video games.

About Beyond Meat

Beyond Meat, Inc. (NASDAQ:BYND) is one of the fastest growing food companies in the United States, offering a portfolio of revolutionary plant-based meats. Founded in 2009, Beyond Meat has a mission of building meat directly from plants, an innovation that enables consumers to experience the taste, texture and other sensory attributes of popular animal-based meat products while enjoying the nutritional and environmental benefits of eating its plant-based meat products. Beyond Meat’s brand commitment, Eat What You Love™, represents a strong belief that by eating its portfolio of plant-based meats, consumers can enjoy more, not less, of their favorite meals, and by doing so, help address concerns related to human health, climate change, resource conservation and animal welfare. Beyond Meat’s portfolio of fresh and frozen plant-based proteins are sold at approximately 77,000 retail, restaurant and foodservice outlets in more than 65 countries worldwide as of December 31, 2019. Visit www.BeyondMeat.com and follow @BeyondMeat, #BeyondBurger and #GoBeyond on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.