Source: Washington County, Arkansas Beyond Meat said its chief operating officer Doug Ramsey has been suspended, effective immediately, after he was arrested on Saturday night for allegedly punching a man and biting his nose. The company said in a statement Tuesday afternoon that Jonathan Nelson, the company’s senior vice president of manufacturing operations, will oversee Beyond’s operations on an interim basis. Ramsey, 53, was charged with terroristic threatening and third-degree assault and booked into the Washington County Jail after he allegedly assaulted a driver in a parking garage near Razorback Stadium. Ramsey allegedly punctured the rear windshield of a Subaru after making contact with the front tire of Ramsey’s car, according to a preliminary police report obtained by CNBC. The Subaru owner then got out of his car and Ramsey allegedly punched him and bit his nose, “tearing the flesh at the tip of the nose,” according to the report. The victim and a witness also claimed Ramsey told the Subaru owner he was going to kill him. Ramsey has been Beyond Meat’s chief operating officer since December. News of his arrest after a University of Arkansas football game brought more scrutiny to the vegan food company, which has been struggling with disappointing sales and investor skepticism about its long-term growth prospects. The stock has fallen 75% this year, dragging its market cap down to $1.02 billion. Just three years ago, the company was valued at $13.4 billion. Before joining Beyond Meat, Ramsey spent three decades at Tyson Foods, overseeing the poultry and McDonald’s businesses. Beyond Meat relied on his experience to help the company successfully execute large launches, particularly with fast-food companies such as Yum Brands, the owner of Taco Bell and McDonald’s. Ramsey did not respond to a request for comment from CNBC.
