Please read the case memo I have attached: Beyond Meat: Changing Customer Behavior in Food Consumption. Harvard Business School. And answer the following questions. 1) the main social challenge/opportunity present in the case (magnitude, history, impact) 2) Examples of concepts of social entrepreneurship you have read about in the course and which are exemplified in the case 3)Key alternatives and/or solutions to the social challenge and pros and cons associated with them. The format of your memo is “open”; bullet points or paragraphs are equally acceptable. Suggested length: 2-3 pages, 1.5 space, Arial font.

Answer

Question 1

The critical social challenge evidenced in the case study is the negative impact of meat consumption on humans and the environment. Historically, meat consumption has been a crucial component of American culture (Rezk & Raut, 2019). Over recent years, more individuals have been consuming meat as part of their regular diets. The increased meat consumption is attributed to higher incomes, which has prompted many individuals to shift from grain-based diets to meat (Rezk & Raut, 2019). As the demand continues to rise, more meat products have become genetically modified to meet the demand. Notably, genetic modifications of meat products pose major health hazards to humans. Furthermore, even organic meat products threaten human health since they are high in protein and unhealthy fats. Generally, meat consumption can lead to complications such as cholesterol accumulation and hypertension.

On the other hand, the environmental impact of meat consumption is also severe. The product life cycle of meat undergoes several stages, which include extraction, processing, usage, and disposal. Energy inputs and emissions characterize the product life cycle. In 2005, the broiler industry consumed about 6.7 billion liters of fossil fuel in the production of broiler poultry (Rezk & Raut, 2019). Additionally, the greenhouse gas emissions generated from this production were approximately 22.3 million tons (Rezk & Raut, 2019). Based on these figures, it is evident that the demand for meat significantly affects the environment.

Question 2

Two core concepts learned in the course are illustrated in the case study. The first concept is capacity, which seeks to determine the resources and skills needed to address a social issue (Rockfeller Foundation, 2014). Beyond Meat’s founder and CEO, Ethan Brown, had to mobilize the necessary resources and skills to create plant-based protein products. His primary goal was to develop alternative protein products similar to actual meat's appearance, texture, and taste (Rezk & Raut, 2019). Brown got initial funding from Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB) after he met Brent Taylor, the firm representative. Brown was also able to access vital skills from Harold Huff and Dr. Fu-Hung Hsieh, distinguished scientists at the University of Missouri (Rezk & Raut, 2019). After acquiring the necessary resources and skills, Brown embarked on his venture. In 2014, Brown created the first batch of plant-based protein products through a successful collaboration with the two scientists.

The second concept is strategy, which focuses on approaches that enable an organization to advance its mission (Rockfeller Foundation, 2014). Brown employed product placement as a marketing strategy to penetrate the market and ensure consumers embrace Beyond Meat products (Rezk & Raut, 2019). However, this marketing strategy was less effective since consumer attitudes and perceptions were a major barrier to the uptake of the products.

Question 3

Meat analogues are the main alternative to meat and are mainly created from soy. These analogues come in the form of hamburger and poultry products. In 2012, meat analogues accounted for $553 million of the meat alternatives market (Rezk & Raut, 2019). Subsequently, the key advantage of meat analogues is that they are safe for consumption since they are not genetically modified (Rezk & Raut, 2019). This fact implies that humans are not at risk of developing health problems such as cancer. Conversely, meat analogues’ major disadvantage is negative attitudes and perceptions by consumers. Most of them still prefer real meat to meat alternatives, despite the health risks associated with the former. However, effective marketing strategies can increase awareness of the vital benefits of meat analogues, leading to higher demand.