Beyond Meat Becomes Reddit’s Most Hyped Stock as Shares Skyrocket Over 1,000%
October 22, 7:44 am
Beyond Meat (BYND) has gone from the sidelines of the market to center stage in just a few days. The plant-based meat company’s stock has surged more than 1,000% in a four-day rally, drawing widespread attention from retail investors, media, and meme stock watchers alike. Once considered a struggling brand with fading relevance, Beyond Meat has now become the most discussed stock on Reddit, surpassing retail favorites like GameStop (GME), Tesla (TSLA), and Nvidia (NVDA).
This dramatic spike in interest and stock price has many asking the same question: what’s driving the frenzy around BYND?
What’s Fueling the Surge?
Retail Investor Frenzy on Reddit
The rally appears to be fueled by a perfect storm of retail investor enthusiasm, social media hype, and technical trading dynamics. Over the past few days, AltIndex data shows BYND has become the #1 most mentioned stock on Reddit, overtaking meme stock veterans and blue-chip names. Reddit forums like r/WallStreetBets are flooded with users sharing screenshots of their BYND positions, with many betting big on a recovery story. It’s clear that retail traders have embraced Beyond Meat as the next high-volatility comeback story.
Exploding Bullish Sentiment
At AltIndex, we track sentiment across social platforms and forums. Our bullish score for Beyond Meat has exploded from a neutral 67 to an extremely bullish 95. This kind of sentiment shift is rare and often signals that a stock is entering a phase of speculative momentum. The optimism is based less on fundamentals and more on the hope of a major reversal - a classic meme-stock trait.
Short Squeeze Pressure
Many traders believe the surge has been intensified by a short squeeze. With so many institutional investors betting against BYND, the sudden rush of buying activity forced bearish traders to cover their positions, pushing the stock even higher. Once a squeeze begins, it can create a feedback loop - more buyers push the price up, which pressures more shorts to close out, creating more buying pressure.
Inclusion in Meme Stock ETF
Beyond Meat also received a vote of confidence from Roundhill Investments, which added BYND to its Meme Stock ETF. This ETF tracks stocks that are trending among retail traders. Inclusion in such an ETF can drive additional buying from both retail and algorithmic traders following the ETF’s movements.
Walmart Deal Boosts Visibility
Adding to the excitement, Walmart announced plans to expand the distribution of Beyond Meat products to over 2,000 stores. This news gave fundamental investors a glimmer of hope that the brand might still have room to grow. For a stock riding a wave of sentiment, even small bits of good news can have outsized effects on price.
Underlying Challenges Remain
While the stock has surged, the underlying business challenges are hard to ignore. Before the rally, BYND was trading below $1, and its fundamentals were deteriorating rapidly.
Significant Dilution
The recent rally comes after Beyond Meat announced a debt-for-equity swap, which significantly diluted existing shareholders. While this move helped the company shore up its balance sheet, it came at a cost - the value of each existing share was essentially reduced as more shares flooded the market.
Weak Financial Performance
Beyond Meat has been struggling with declining revenue and persistent losses. In Q2 2025, revenue fell nearly 20% year-over-year. The company has yet to prove it can return to growth, especially in a competitive plant-based market that is losing steam.
Declining Consumer Demand
Competition from newer brands, higher prices, and shifting consumer trends have all contributed to weaker demand for Beyond Meat products. Inflation has also played a role, with many consumers trading down to cheaper alternatives.
Early Reddit Alert
At AltIndex, our Reddit tracker was among the first to flag the BYND hype. On October 15, we issued a Reddit alert to our members stating that Beyond Meat was starting to trend again.
Since that alert, the stock has surged over 1,000%, once again showing the proof of the power of social sentiment and why tracking online trends is critical for modern investors.
Track Meme Stocks With AltIndex
Want to catch the next Beyond Meat before the breakout? Our platform features real-time Reddit tracking, sentiment analysis, and stock alerts across thousands of tickers. Visit our Reddit Stocks page to view the most discussed stocks right now and set alerts so you never miss another opportunity.
Whether you're a meme stock trader or just want to understand what’s moving the market, AltIndex gives you the tools to stay ahead.
Get More Insights
Sign up and get access to a personalized dashboard, deeper insights, AI stock picks, stock alerts, weekly newsletter and much more.
