Vegan company Beyond Meat will debut plant-based ground beef Beyond Beef at retailers this year. The new product was created to displace traditional ground beef—the largest segment in the beef industry—and is made from a blend of pea, mung bean, and rice proteins that mimic the texture of its animal-derived counterpart and can be used in recipes such as meatballs, tacos, and chili. “We’ve long had our eye on creating a product that enables consumers to enjoy all the benefits and versatility of ground beef while tapping into the human health, environmental, and animal welfare benefits of plant-based foods,” Beyond Meat CEO Ethan Brown said.

Tofu shortages have been reported in parts of Canada after the country’s new 2019 Food Guide was released earlier this month. The food guide was given a major overhaul that included omitting dairy as a food group and emphasizing the consumption of fruit, vegetables, and plant-based proteins such as beans, nuts, and tofu. Now, a surge of interest in plant-based foods, particularly in tofu, has been reported. The biggest tofu shortage is in Quebec, where the province’s largest tofu producers, Unisoya and Soyarie, are struggling to meet demand. Both companies are working on increasing production by expanding factories but won’t be able to sell to big chains such as Costco and Provigo until the expansion is complete.

National Geographic is questioning the world’s consumption of animal products. The leading nature publication and network recently covered a report suggesting the global consumption of meat has “dire” consequences for the planet. The world’s population is growing, with 10 billion people expected to populate the earth by 2050. According to National Geographic, scientists from around the globe are “scrambling” to figure out a way of feeding all of these people. The report – conducted by 30 scientists over three years and published in the Lancet – suggests that a significant worldwide reduction in meat consumption would help to feed the growing population.