Tyson Foods Makes Historic Announcement

On their quarterly earnings conference call on Thursday, Tyson Foods announced their earnings fell short of analysts’ expectations. The stock price closed at $59.29 on Friday, the same level as two years ago.

Bloomberg explained factors contributing to Tyson’s earnings miss: “Changing consumer tastes and lifestyles mean Americans want food that’s perceived as healthier, easier to cook and increasingly, they want protein that comes from plants.”

Then I read this surreal announcement on Tyson’s homepage and nearly fainted. Tyson Foods CEO Noel White announced that Tyson Foods is going to start making their own alternative plant-based meat in 2019. Let that sink in. It’s news for the ages.

Tyson has the R & D team, advertising budget, shelf space, and loyal customer base to attract millions of people who eat animals to try plant-based alternatives. The formula has worked with Ben & Jerry and Haagen Dazs dairy-free ice cream and should prove even more successful in the massive animal meat market. Meat-eaters are more likely to try plant-based chicken made by Tyson because they know and trust the name.

Tyson continues to make strides toward diversifying their portfolio. Their investments in Beyond Meat and Memphis Meats likely had a positive influence on them and helped them gain familiarity with more sustainable, compassionate, and healthy protein options. Their expanding interest in the plant-based meat market serves as a powerful reminder of why it’s so important to engage with the industry. Everyone who cares about farm animals, the planet, and people’s health should be excited about Tyson’s upcoming launch.

 

17 thoughts on “Tyson Foods Makes Historic Announcement”

  3. I truly wish that the plant-based foods would be lower in price. I am very happy about this article..But the price of Vegan food is so high. & with this monster running our USA; inflation will most probably cause bad problems

    Reply

    1. Thank you for expressing your concern.

      Many plant-based foods are inexpensive. I encourage you to check out my friend Toni’s website if you need ideas: https://plantbasedonabudget.com/

      Many processed plant-based foods also contain actual healthy foods like cashews (Treeline cheese) and potatoes and apples (Field Roast sausages), whereas many processed animal-based foods contain chemical fillers, growth hormones, and other toxic ingredients. More actual food in a product may cost more at the cash register but likely less at the doctor’s office.

      As demand increases, production will increase and prices will fall. Tyson has the facilities, R & D team, name recognition, etc. already in place so I expect they will be able to cut costs and produce price competitive options. It’s one of the many reasons we should welcome their entry to the market.

      Reply

      1. Another vote for Toni’s website, especially for those new to plant-based, real-food eating, which is actually a lot CHEAPER than eating out of a slaughterhouse. The slaughter/animal exploitation industries are significantly propped up by subsidies funded by our tax dollars. To petlover1948, if you are eating only convenience foods- yes that is more expensive than eating real, whole foods. But so is eating the convenience foods peddled by the animal exploitation industries.

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    2. We need to distinguish between plant based processed food and whole food
      Whole food such as bulk pulses are economical and even organic
      Seasonal vegetables are cheap
      Oats barley etc are inexpensive
      Making oat – hemp milk And nut cheese is much less than purchase
      It’s a matter of time / priority and willingness to cook from zero

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    3. The only reason that plant-based foods seem high in price is that animal products have been massively subsidised by the government. If we paid the true price of animal products, vegan foods would be much cheaper in comparison.

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    1. They paid me with progress. 🙂

      Would you rather they not make plant-based meat and continue to only use animals? I ask that question seriously. If yes, how do you believe we will reduce animal agriculture?

      Thank you for your passion.

      Reply

  7. Dear Andrew, I may not reply to each of your emails but I’ve been following your heart-felt but science-based presentations. Your reviews of vegetarian restaurants are fantastic. Continue on and just know you have many more fans and followers than you imagine.  Your dad is always in our hearts. Mike still misses their games and expeditions to Ft Lauderdale and his games have never been the same.  Love, Yael

    Yael L. Liber

    Reply

  8. Thank you ! It is sooooo important that corporate America continues to see that being more humane – including reducing animal suffering , can be profitable. We need to welcome and applaud the Tyson’s, the McDonalds and the Food Service corporations for making strides to provide more humane alternatives and for making the animal husbandry changes that are better for humans, farm animals and the environment.

    Reply

    1. Thank you for your comment and compassion, Jim.

      No, I don’t think it makes them an ethical company because I don’t believe any company that kills animals is ethical. It does, however, make them a company moving in the right direction, which I believe warrants our support given the alternative (moving in the same direction).

      In the short term, I don’t believe it will result in fewer chickens killed. In the long term, I hope that widespread acceptance of their PB chicken by their millions of customers will reduce the number of animals killed for food.

      Finally, yes, I believe it will improve work conditions as employees who produce PB chicken will not be exposed to the same hazards. In the short term, I don’t expect it will change working conditions for employees in their slaughterhouses and on their factory lines.

      Reply

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