'We do hope to have something up and running before the end of next year' (Edit: Plant Based News)

Plant-based startup Beyond Meat aims to launch its vegan products in China, the world's largest pork consumers per capita, before the end of next year.

In an exclusive interview with Reuters, Executive Chairman Seth Goldman revealed the brand needs to 'develop production systems, secure retail customers and create supply chains' to succeed in the Chinese market.

The company already sells its plant-based meat in several Asian countries such as Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong.

'Do it the right way'

"We know that to get to China and to do it the right way, it's going to take scale, it's going to take a manufacturing presence in that area," Goldman told the publication.

"We have committed to producing in Europe in the first quarter of next year...Asia's not going to be that quick, but we do hope to have something up and running before the end of next year."

Beyond Meat in Europe

Earlier this year, Beyond Meat announced it had expanded its partnership with Zandbergen World's Finest Meat, which is currently building a new manufacturing facility in the Netherlands.

The facility, which is expected to be ready in the first quarter of 2020, will mark Beyond Meat's first production capability outside the United States.

"The consumer response in Europe has been very positive and we look forward to being able to better serve those customers with locally produced products," Goldman said in a statement sent to Plant Based News.

"We are pleased to have strong strategic partners in Europe like Zandbergen to help us grow our global footprint."

"As the demand for plant-based products continues to expand in Europe, we are thrilled to be partnering with Beyond Meat to produce [its] innovative products outside the U.S.," added Adriaan Figee, Chief Commercial Officer of Zandbergen World's Finest Meat.