It’s happening again—at least, that’s what thousands of retail traders are hoping as they pile into Beyond Meat stock, igniting a frenzy reminiscent of the GameStop saga that rocked Wall Street in 2021. Over the past week, Beyond Meat (BYND), the plant-based food company best known for its vegan burgers and sausages, has experienced an astonishing rally. According to TradingView data reported by Odaily Planet Daily and other outlets, BYND’s stock has surged nearly 1,000% over the last five trading days, culminating in a single-day jump of 146.26% to close at $3.62 on October 22, 2025. The action has been so wild that Nasdaq halted trading of BYND four separate times on Wednesday due to extreme volatility.
This sudden eruption isn’t just about numbers on a screen. It’s about a movement—one that pits everyday investors against hedge funds and institutional short sellers. The echoes of GameStop’s legendary short squeeze are unmistakable. Back in early 2021, a ragtag band of retail traders on Reddit’s WallStreetBets forum famously drove up GameStop’s price, forcing well-heeled short sellers to cover their positions at massive losses. Citron Research took a beating, Melvin Capital nearly collapsed, and the whole affair became a symbol of the little guy taking on Wall Street’s titans. Now, Beyond Meat is at the center of a similar storm.
So, what’s fueling this meteoric rise? First, there’s the belief—shared widely on social media and trading forums—that Beyond Meat is “the most shorted stock in the market.” Data from Ortex, cited by Decrypt, shows BYND’s short interest peaking at a staggering 82% on October 20 before dipping to 71% the next day. FactSet data, as reported by CNBC and Odaily Planet Daily, put the figure at over 63% by October 23. For context, anything above 20% is considered extremely high. Such heavy shorting creates the perfect conditions for a short squeeze, where rising prices force short sellers to buy back shares, pushing prices even higher in a self-reinforcing cycle.
Retail traders see an opportunity—and they’re not shy about it. On Reddit and X (formerly Twitter), users have been rallying in cult-like fashion behind BYND, posting memes, investment theses, and raucous encouragements. “FULL PORTED MY LIFE SAVINGS INTO BYND,” one Reddit user declared on WallStreetBets. Another replied, “EVERYONE INVEST YOUR LIFE SAVINGS RN.” While such bravado may seem reckless, it’s emblematic of the fervor driving the movement. A third user chimed in, “I don’t normally encourage this kind of thing, but I’m rooting for you kid! Fuck the shorts.”
The similarities to GameStop don’t end there. Just as Keith “Roaring Kitty” Gill became the face of the GME rally, a new influencer—known as Capybara Stocks—is emerging as the voice of the BYND surge. With 14,700 followers on X and 2,700 YouTube subscribers as of October 22, Capybara Stocks has been outlining his investing ethos and rallying the troops. “Important to remember that BYND authorized share count is almost fully used up from the convertible note exchange. This means they can’t meaningfully [offer at-the-market] shares in a wild run,” he posted, adding, “This is a large component of why this rally is not stopping and why we’re seeing such gains against no real selling pressure. To infinity and BYND.”
Adding yet another twist to the saga is Martin Shkreli, the notorious “Pharma Bro” and former hedge fund manager, who has publicly taken a short position against Beyond Meat. Rather than scaring off retail traders, his involvement has only stoked their enthusiasm. “He just added fuel to the fire,” an X user remarked, while another rallied, “Hey, retail, let’s show him what time it is.” It’s the kind of David-versus-Goliath narrative that social media loves—and it’s playing out in real time.
But what about Beyond Meat itself? Despite the stock’s wild ride, the company’s fundamentals have been shaky. After peaking at $239.71 following its 2019 IPO, BYND’s share price plummeted to a historic low of $0.60 at the start of October 2025, battered by five consecutive years of losses and a tough market environment. Yet, there are glimmers of hope. This week, Beyond Meat announced a partnership with Walmart, with its products now listed in over 2,000 Walmart stores. The company’s plant-based offerings are already available in 65,000 retail outlets worldwide and feature in the menus of fast-food giants like McDonald’s, KFC, and Pizza Hut. Still, as of October 22, the stock was down 85% from its all-time high.
As retail investors pour in, institutional players are taking note. Roundhill Investments recently added BYND to its meme-themed ETF, the Roundhill Meme Stock ETF (MEME), further fueling speculation. Meanwhile, Vest, a derivatives exchange, has launched BYND contract trading with up to 5x leverage, giving traders even more tools to bet on—or against—the stock.
On Reddit, the mood is electric. Users compare the current BYND surge to the early days of the GameStop squeeze, warning that a “gamma squeeze” could be next. As user @cornecorne2 explained, “In rare cases (the GameStop incident in 2021 being the first), individual investors or other hedge funds create buying pressure, driving the stock price up rapidly. Since a large number of investors hold short positions and put options at this time, a ‘gamma squeeze’ may be triggered.” Others, like @hxtimx, see the movement as a long-overdue reckoning: “For years, those big institutions, hedge funds, and short sellers have been playing us, laughing from behind their screens as retail investors get crushed. Now? We see the truth… The short sellers’ time is running out. When they close their positions, it will be ugly—and we will witness firsthand how chaos turns to profit. Buy! Hold! Watch their death throes!”
Yet, not everyone is convinced this story will end the same way as GameStop. As Odaily Planet Daily’s Azuma cautions, “While the hype surrounding Beyond Meat (BYND) has reached a certain scale, it still pales in comparison to the massive hype surrounding GameStop (GME). Furthermore, similar scenarios often do not always end in the same way.” The article emphasizes that this isn’t investment advice, urging readers to research thoroughly before diving into such volatile waters.
For now, the Beyond Meat saga is still unfolding. Whether it will become another David-versus-Goliath legend or a cautionary tale of market mania remains to be seen. What’s clear is that, once again, the battle lines are drawn between retail traders and Wall Street, with millions watching—and betting—on the outcome.
