(Bloomberg) -- Beyond Meat Inc. is entering the market in beef-loving Brazil, signaling that even some of the world's biggest carnivores are open to plant alternatives.
The El Segundo, California-based company plans to sell its vegan burgers, sausages and faux beef in 19 Sao Paulo stores owned by retail chain St. Marche.
Even Brazil -- famous for its barbecues and churrascarias, where slabs of beef are cut at your table's edge -- isn't immune to the sweeping changes going on globally in meat eating. More of the country's consumers are cutting back on animal protein out of health concerns. Beyond Meat cited a Good Food Institute survey that showed the nation is the No. 5 market for the world's health food industry.
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That comes even through Brazil is the world's largest beef and chicken exporter. But some of the nation's meat behemoths are also investing in plant-based products.
JBS SA, the world's biggest meat company, and chicken giant BRF SA have a portfolio of meatless products they offer to Brazilians, including burgers, nuggets and frozen meals. Marfrig Global Foods SA, which supplies the nation's Burger King stores with plant-based burgers, joined forces with Archer-Daniels-Midland Co. to boost the scale of its meatless products.
“Our Brazil market entry marks an important step in furthering our mission of increasing accessibility to plant-based meat globally,” Ethan Brown, Beyond Meat's founder and chief executive officer, said in a statement.
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