Vegan-Burger Bet Boosts Earnings at Agribusiness Giant Bunge

  • Results include $135 million gain from shares in Beyond Meat
  • Company benefited from soy-crush contract timing differences

Packages of Beyond Meat Inc. plant-based burger patties.

Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg
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Bunge Ltd. earnings surged in the second quarter as an investment in Beyond Meat Inc. helped cushion the 201-year-old firm from a tough environment for agribusiness. Shares rose.

Nearly half of Bunge’s better-than-expected earnings came from its investment arm’s stake in the faux-meat company. Beyond Meat has soared 680% since its May initial public offering as part of the plant-protein craze.