NEW YORK (Reuters) -Shares of Beyond Meat ( BYND ) leaped more than 80% in active trading on Tuesday after the U.S. plant-based meat maker announced plans to expand distribution into Walmart stores.

Beyond Meat ( BYND ) said some of its products, including its "Beyond Burger 6-pack" and "Beyond Chicken Pieces," will be available in 2,000 Walmart ( WMT ) stores nationwide.

The company's shares jumped as high as $2.91 following the news, giving it a market value of about $1.5 billion and putting it on track for a fivefold surge from last Thursday's close of 52 cents.

More than 1.2 billion Beyond Meat ( BYND ) shares changed hands on Tuesday. The stock is one of the most watched on Stocktwits, a platform popular among amateur traders.

Five out of eight analysts covering Beyond Meat ( BYND ) rate the stock "sell" or "strong sell" while three recommend holding it, with a median price target of $2.42 per share, according to LSEG data.