NEW YORK -- The success of mock meat makers in the U.S. has investors seeking even bigger opportunities in pork-hungry China, where a swine fever epidemic is pushing up pork prices and raising questions over the sustainability of the industry.
Among those investors is Nick Cooney. When Beyond Meat surged over 160% in the strongest U.S. IPO this year, he was elated. Cooney and his team invested in the Los Angeles-based startup in 2015 when it was valued at just $147 million. The company's market capitalization now stands at over $9 billion, a sign that the future of food can be both profitable and sustainable.
