BEYOND MEAT, INC. 8-K

What Happened
Beyond Meat, Inc. (BYND) filed an 8-K (Item 5.02) announcing that its board appointed Tony Kalajian as Chief Accounting Officer and principal accounting officer effective January 12, 2026 (or the date he actually commences employment if later). The company entered into an offer letter with Mr. Kalajian on December 29, 2025; the board formalized the appointment on January 5, 2026. Upon his appointment, Lubi Kutua will stop serving as interim principal accounting officer but will remain Beyond Meat’s Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer.

Key Details

• Annual base salary: $325,000; annual discretionary bonus target: 35% of base salary (pro-rated for 2026).
• One-time sign‑on cash bonus: $35,000 (subject to pro‑rata repayment if employment terminates before one year).
• Equity awards (subject to Compensation Committee approval): an option valued at $150,000 and RSUs valued at $150,000. Both awards vest over four years (25% at 12 months; options vest remaining balance monthly at 1/36, RSUs vest quarterly at 1/12).
• Background: Mr. Kalajian, age 55, is a CPA with prior senior accounting/finance roles at Quantem Healthcare/ContinuEM, Calidi Biotherapeutics, Oncocyte, Lineage Cell Therapeutics, STAAR Surgical, LegalZoom, Coda Automotive and PwC.
• Mr. Kalajian will enter an indemnification agreement with the company; the filing discloses no related‑party transactions requiring Item 404 disclosure.

Why It Matters
This appointment fills the principal accounting officer role with an experienced, CPA‑licensed executive, signaling a stabilization of the company’s accounting leadership after an interim period. Compensation and equity incentives align Mr. Kalajian’s interests with shareholders and are standard for senior financial officers, but are subject to committee approval. Investors should note the change in reporting responsibility (Kutua remains CFO) and consider any future disclosures or restatements that relate to accounting leadership in assessing governance and financial reporting stability.