In late 2025, Beyond Meat (BYND +7.80%) briefly looked poised to become the next meme stock. The shockingly swift price advance fizzles out fairly quickly, but the stock has gone through a number of material swings so far in 2026. Could Beyond Meat see renewed interest from meme stock investors? Maybe, but here's what you need to know before you jump into the fray.
Beyond Meat isn't about "meat" anymore
The big story around Beyond Meat right now is that it has decided to expand its focus. While it is still making plant-based meat alternatives, it is now also making plant-based protein drinks. In fact, it just inked a deal for broader distribution of its Beyond Immerse beverage. This expansion of the business is probably a good move.
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Although the company's Beyond Meat burgers launched to great fanfare, the company's sales have been trending lower for years. And it has yet to produce a sustainable profit. Basically, it is still just a money-losing consumer staples start-up.
The problem with all of this is that the packaged food sector is highly competitive and dominated by large companies. It is hard to stand out from the pack, and Beyond Meat's products aren't as unique as they used to be. Most investors should probably avoid the stock.
Meme stocks aren't driven by fundamentals
This is the important background you need to consider as you watch the stock price. A rapid stock price advance won't change the business's fundamentals, which are troubling at best. And a single good quarter won't be enough to decide that the tides have turned for Beyond Meat. But meme stock advances aren't driven by fundamentals; they are largely driven by emotion and greed.
NASDAQ: BYND
Key Data Points
Unless a stock price advance is backed up by a sustained improvement in the company's financial performance, Beyond Meat's shares will probably just fall back down again. That's exactly what happened with AMC Entertainment (AMC 6.02%). And AMC was able to sell huge amounts of stock at lofty prices, giving the business a cash cushion. Without a sustained improvement in the business, however, meme stock investors eventually lost interest in AMC.
The crowd isn't always right
Greed is a powerful motivator on Wall Street. Watching a meme stock skyrocket can leave you feeling like you are being left behind. Don't get caught up in that type of short-term thinking. If Beyond Meat gets caught up in a meme stock buying frenzy following a single quarter's earnings, you should continue to focus on the long-term fundamentals of the business. Until the business story sustainably improves, Beyond Meat's long-term prospects as a business and an investment are likely to be bleak.
