CPG | Fractional CMO, GM and start-up CEO | Food & Beverage (Alcohol & Non-Alc) | Co-founder, former CEO of SunDaze RTD cocktails | Advisor to emerging, established brands, venture capital/private equity
After a three year 📆 test run, the McDonald's McPlant failed to take root ❌ 🌱 This month McD’s pulled the plug on the ~600 locations carrying BeyondMeat’s alternative to the chain’s usual meat patties. That was a profoundly generous test window taking into account everything McD’s already knew about its patrons across geographies and demographics. Despite the heat #plantbased "meat" is taking, this marriage was a prime example of two brands and two consumer bases that simply were never going to co-mingle successfully. McD’s customer base is too broad and price-driven. And the legacy of McD’s best-selling items are too entrenched in animal-based protein 🍔 and guilty indulgence, for this #cobrand to have been a win for any plant-based alternative. The psychographics of plant-based meat lovers, was also never aligned with the McD’s consumer experience, and stunted by the McPlant’s isolation as the anchor, vegetarian-adjacent option. When it comes to fast food, the plant-based community has options like Kevin Hart’s Hart House, dedicated to plant-based across the menu, vs. a single menu item. And there are other plant-based, #fastfood focused doors regionally, and they are better equipped to court this consumer. So, is this another nail in the coffin ⚰️ for plant-based meat? No. It’s less about new nails in the category, but rather how much deeper existing nails are driven. The misalignment here was clear from the start. It was an initiative from a newly publicly-traded company (Beyond Meat, listed on NASDAQ in 2019) to show investors potentially lucrative growth and support stock price – a publicly traded company’s duty. And it was an experiment for McD’s, which can afford to experiment at this level, and ultimately learn more about their core customer in the process. And speaking of collabs, because McD’s never stops innovating, the brand just launched its new “Special Grade Garlic Sauce”, with #anime brand Jujutsu Kaisen. Another sign that new #asian flavors are finding their way into the mainstream (like soju, and new sake variations in alc). #foodandbeverage
Gemma Bishop
3mo
Oh wow. Didn't realise that was happening. Was the only thing I could eat.... that's a shame.
Glenn Johnson
3mo
…now THAT is how to write an opening line ✨👏🤓
Pete Maldonado
3mo
Oof!
CPG | Fractional CMO, GM and start-up CEO | Food & Beverage (Alcohol & Non-Alc) | Co-founder, former CEO of SunDaze RTD cocktails | Advisor to emerging, established brands, venture capital/private equity
3mo