Redefining Meat With Ethan Brown: The Battle Beyond the Burger

Ethan Brown, founder and CEO of Beyond Meat, isn’t just trying to disrupt the meat industry—he’s challenging the cultural, political, and economic systems that uphold it. In this episode of Leadership Next, Brown speaks with Fortune’s Diane Brady and Kristin Stoller about the uphill battle of building a plant-based food company in a world dominated by Big Meat. He shares why he believes alternative proteins are key to addressing the climate crisis, what the latest research says about the health benefits of going plant-based, and how legacy food giants—and even the pharmaceutical industry—are pushing back. From regulatory hurdles in Europe to cultural resistance in the U.S., Brown offers a candid look at what it takes to lead a mission-driven food innovation company in an increasingly polarized marketplace. Chapters: 00:00 - Beyond Meat Introduction 08:30 - Beyond Meat's Origin Story 11:45 - Addressing Misinformation Campaigns 15:15 - Health Benefits and Stanford Research 19:00 - Environmental Impact of Plant-Based Protein 23:30 - Cultural Challenges in Food Innovation 28:00 - Taste and Consumer Experience 32:45 - Leadership During Challenging Times 37:15 - Philosophical Perspectives on Food and Life 41:00 - Marketing and Demographic Shifts 45:30 - Future of Beyond Meat and Sustainable Eating Subscribe to Fortune - http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=FortuneMagazineVideo Fortune Magazine is a global leader in business journalism with 55 million monthly page views and a readership of nearly 32 million, with major franchises including the Fortune 500 and the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For. The new Fortune video channel dives into personal stories from business owners and entrepreneurs becoming successful in business and sharing their tips to help you reach your goals. Website: http://fortune.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FortuneMagazine Twitter: https://twitter.com/FortuneMagazine TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fortune