Beyond Meat COO Arrested for Biting Man’s Nose in Parking Lot Altercation

Beyond Meat "Beyond Burger" patties sit on a shelf for sale in New York, on Nov. 15, 2019. Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images

The chief operating officer of plant-based meat producer Beyond Meat was arrested this weekend after allegedly biting a man’s nose during an altercation that took place in Arkansas.

Doug Ramsey, 53, was arrested on Sept. 17 on charges of terroristic threatening and third-degree battery, according to the Washington County, Arkansas, information page.

Ramsey, who stepped into the role of Beyond Meat COO in December, was booked in the Washington County jail, but was released one day later after posting an $11,085 bond.

His arrest was first reported by local television station KNWA/Fox24.

According to the outlet, which cited a preliminary police report, the incident took place at a parking garage near Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville after Arkansas’ 38–27 win over Missouri State.

Police allegedly found Ramsey and another man with “bloody faces” following the incident in which Ramsey had been in a traffic lane in his vehicle attempting to leave the parking garage when a Subaru made contact with the front passenger’s side tire of his car.

Ramsey, who previously worked at Tyson Foods in numerous roles, including as head of retail poultry operations, then allegedly got out of his car and “punched through the back windshield of the Subaru,” according to the report.

The male owner of the Subaru then reportedly exited his vehicle and told police that Ramsey “pulled him in close and started punching his body.” Ramsey then also “bit the owner’s nose, ripping the flesh on the tip of the nose.”

Police reportedly spoke with a witness who said they heard Ramsey “threaten to kill” the driver of the Subaru. Both Ramsey and the other driver were then separated by drivers in other vehicles, according to the report.

Disappointing Sales Results

The Epoch Times has contacted Beyond Meat and the Fayetteville police for comment.

Ramsey’s arrest comes after Los Angeles–based Beyond Meat posted disappointing sales results for its second quarter ended July 2, 2022.

The company reported net revenues of $147.0 million, which marked a decrease of 1.6 percent year over year and which missed out on  the $149.2 million expected.

Gross profit saw a loss of $6.2 million, while net loss was $97.1 million, or $1.53 per common share, versus the $1.18 that was forecast.

Ethan Brown, Beyond Meat’s president and CEO, cited growing inflation and a dive in consumer demand for the less than spectacular results.

“In second quarter 2022, we recorded our second-largest quarter ever in terms of net revenues, even as consumers traded down among proteins in the context of inflationary pressures, and we made solid sequential progress on reducing operating and manufacturing conversion costs,” Brown said. “Across the balance of the year, we are tightly focused on intensifying operating expenses and manufacturing cost reductions, executing against a series of planned market activities for our global strategic partners, and strengthening our retail business through core support and the introduction of one of our best innovations to date.”

The company also announced in August that it was laying off about 4 percent of its global workforce, which it hopes will result in total annualized savings of approximately $8 million.