Ethan Brown, the CEO and founder of Beyond Meat, photographed in El Segundo, Calif., on February 25, 2019.
Max S. Gerber—Redux

Increasing concern over cows and climate change—raising cattle takes lots of energy, and their digestion emits greenhouse gases—has helped make Beyond Meat one of the faster-growing U.S. food companies; its plant-based proteins dot grocery cases and menus at KFC, Dunkin’ and Pizza Hut. Now it’s expanding even more: in February, the 12-year-old company signed a three-year deal to become the preferred provider for the McPlant line at McDonald’s. “The mainstreaming of our products is incredibly important” for the planet, says CEO Ethan Brown. Plant-based steak and bacon are the “holy-grail items,” he says.

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