🍊 Orange Chicken = IP Gold

How Panda Express and Beyond Meat turned a recipe into a revenue engine — and what every brand can learn from it.

The story: Panda Express’s 2024 decision to bring back Beyond® The Original Orange Chicken says as much about strategy as it does about taste. What began as a small test in 2021 has evolved—through data, demand, and smart IP structuring—into a repeatable, protectable collaboration between two powerhouse brands.

Two Takeaways for Operators & Brand Owners

1. Co-creation can build protectable assets, not just promotions—if you paper the IP ownership upfront

This wasn't merely a limited-time marketing play. Panda Express contributed a trademarked dish and iconic flavor profile; Beyond Meat provided proprietary formulation technology. The result: a co-branded product that's ownable, licensable, and extensible across future channels—including potential retail grocery distribution as a frozen product.

But here's the strategic risk: when two parties each contribute distinctive IP, who owns the new asset that emerges from the collaboration? Without clear contractual allocation from day one—covering recipe rights, brand usage, derivative works, and channel exclusivity—you're setting up a future dispute that can torpedo licensing deals or retail expansion.

The lesson: Structure your collaborations so the output—brand names, recipes, formulations, packaging trade dress—is clearly owned or jointly managed under documented terms. Define upfront who can license the co-created product into new channels (frozen retail, international markets, ingredient licensing) and how economics flow. When both parties contribute distinctive IP, the collaboration itself gains commercial value beyond a single campaign—but only if the ownership framework is papered before the product launches.

2. Pilot data is valuation data

Early sellouts, fan petitions, and organic influencer buzz weren’t just signs of popularity—they were proof points of commercial distinctiveness and sustained demand. That kind of real-world validation strengthens a brand’s negotiating leverage, pricing strategy, and expansion decisions. The 2024 national reintroduction wasn’t a gamble; it was a data-backed move built on documented consumer pull.

The lesson: Treat market tests as chapters in your IP value story. Yes, track sales velocity— but also watch consumer advocacy signals—like customer sentiment and repeat-purchase behavior. These metrics translate directly into due diligence files when the time comes to license, expand, or value the brand asset.

(Source: Vegconomist, “Panda Express Brings Back Beyond® The Original Orange Chicken,” July 3, 2024.)

Meridian Cay Insights explores the strategic intersection of brand development, intellectual property, and commercial scalability.