Beyond Meat chief accused of biting man’s nose in road rage confrontation
A top executive at one of America’s biggest makers of alternative meat products has been arrested for biting another man on the nose during a road rage confrontation, US media have reported.
Douglas Ramsey, 53, who is chief operating officer of Beyond Meat, allegedly punched a motorist and bit that man’s on the nose so hard that it tore his flesh, according to a police report obtained by NBC affiliate TV station KNWA.
The police report allege that Ramsey accused the victim of bumping one of the front tires of his SUV as they both negotiated their way out of a long line leaving a parking garage after the University of Arkansas’s football team played a home game in Fayetteville on Saturday.
The report said Ramsey then punched through the rear window of the victim’s vehicle, struck the victim and then bit him.
NBC reported that Ramsey was released from jail on Sunday on a nearly $12,000 bond.
Beyond Meat makes products like burgers and sausages out of plants and is part of a wave of such companies that have emerged in the US offering alternatives to meat that in many cases taste just like the real thing. They are often seen as better for the environment and avoid the killing of animals.
Some alternative meat products even feature on the menus of fast-food giants like Burger King and McDonald’s.
However, in recent months, shares in Beyond Meat have taken a tumble, losing more than 70% of their values this year alone. The firm has said it has taken a hit because of the cost-ofliving crisis as consumers balk at the sometimes higher price for its products when compared to meat.