In what appears to be an effort to combat struggling sales, Beyond Meat announced this week “an extensive renovation” to its product line. The fourth generation of its core beef platform, Beyond Meat said Beyond IV raises the bar for plant-based meat products and center-of-the-plate protein generally, further cementing its commitment to creating products that not only taste delicious but deliver important nutritional benefits.

The Beyond IV product lines are the result of a multi-year research effort in collaboration with leading medical and nutrition experts designed to meet the standards of top health organizations.

One of the most impactful changes to the recipe, the company said, is the shift to avocado oil which helped reduce the saturated fat in the products by 60% to just 2g per serving. Avocado oil is high in monounsaturated fats which the American Heart Association recommends as a heart-healthy choice. Additionally, Beyond Meat reduced the sodium in the new platform by 20%, and added nutrient-dense plant-based ingredients including red lentil and faba bean protein while simultaneously simplifying the ingredient list.

The nutritional changes have qualified the new products to be recognized by leading health organizations, including the American Diabetes Association’s evidence-based nutritional guidelines for its Better Choices for Life program and being included in a collection of heart-healthy recipes certified by the American Heart Association’s Heart-Check program. Additionally, the new products have received Good Housekeeping’s coveted Nutritionist Approved Emblem which assesses food products based on specific nutritional criteria as well as taste, simplicity, and transparency, and are the first plant-based meat products to be Clean Label Project Certified.

“Beyond IV represents a transformative step forward in delivering plant-based nutrition to the consumer in the form of meat. The development of the new products occurred within an ecosystem of leading medical and nutrition experts and were designed to meet the standards of national health organizations to create a product that delivers the taste, satisfaction, and utility of 80/20 beef – yet is demonstrably healthier,” said Ethan Brown, Beyond Meat Founder & CEO. “Every ingredient in this fourth iteration was thoughtfully selected to bring the nutritional power of plants – from the heart-healthy monounsaturated fats in avocado oil, to the protein and fiber in peas, red lentils, faba beans and brown rice.”

The new Beyond Burger and Beyond Beef are expected to roll out exclusively at retailers across the U.S. this spring, but the question remains as to whether the change will be enough to boost sales and regain market share? In November, the company reported that U.S. retail channel net revenues decreased 34% to $30.5 million during Q3 2023, primarily due to an 19% decrease in volume of products sold and weak category demand. The company will release Q4 2023 and full 2023 results next week.