Beyond Meat Inc. forecast annual revenue below estimates on Thursday, hitting its share price, as it faced stiffer competition amid flat demand for plant-based protein. The California-based company said it expects revenue of $560 million to $620 million for 2022, compared with estimates of $637.3 million, according to Refinitiv IBES data. Sales to U.S. grocers, convenience stores, and other retailers declined 19.5 percent in the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31. Rivals including Tyson Foods and Kellogg recently entered the fray with big discounts to get more people to trial their products. U.S. retail sales in the plant-based meat category fell 0.4 percent last year versus 45 percent growth in 2020, Beyond Meat Chief Executive Officer Ethan Brown said during an earnings call. “We experienced intense increased competition during the period when the size of the prize did not expand,” he said. Those remarks echoed comments made by rival Maple Leaf …