Beyond Meat partners with supermarket Sainsbury to boost UK presence

(Reuters) – Beyond Meat said on Thursday it has rolled out its plant-based meat burger in 372 Sainsbury stores and 41 Gourmet Burger Kitchen restaurants, in a move to boost its presence in the United Kingdom.

Demand for plant-based meat has grown as customers turn increasingly health conscious and concerned about the environmental impact of industrial animal farming.

“The UK continues to be a crucial part of Beyond Meat’s long-term growth strategy in Europe,” Chief Growth Officer Chuck Muth said.

The company earlier this year secured partnerships with UK-based Ocado , Holland & Barrett, and JD Wetherspoon .

Thursday’s announcement comes days after the plant-based meat maker said its burger patties – made from peas, mung bean and rice to mimic the taste of a beef burger – will be available at more than 2,400 Walmart Inc stores.

(Reporting by Shanima A in Bengaluru; Editing by Aditya Soni)