Meati Foods, a fungi-based alternative meat startup, laid off 17 employees, representing 5% of its workforce, this week. The company, which recently opened a large production facility in Thornton, Colorado, stated the layoffs were part of strategic resource reallocation to support scalability and future growth, not due to weak demand. This move follows broader industry challenges, as U.S. retail sales of meat alternatives have declined. Despite the cuts, Meati emphasized strong commercial relationships and plans for national expansion, remaining optimistic about capturing a significant share of the growing market. The layoffs occurred in the context of similar reductions at competitors like Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat.
