Quorn Foods is set to enhance its offerings for foodservice clients in the UK by collaborating with burgeoning brands.
Through its newly established division, QuornPro Distribution Partners, the meat-free product supplier will distribute products from “emerging brands” within the UK’s foodservice sector. This strategic move aims to streamline the process for foodservice operators by providing diverse meal solutions through a single point of contact.
Phil Thornborrow, the director of global foodservice within the QuornPro division, emphasized the mutual advantages of this collaboration: “Brands benefit from our foodservice expertise and access to a market that can be tricky to get cut through in. We get to provide our customers with even more meal solutions, and our customers benefit by being able to deal with one point of contact to meet multiple requirements.”
As a part of this initiative, UK-based free-from company, Good It’s Gluten Free, has inked a deal to expand its product reach via Quorn’s established foodservice distribution network. Since its inception in 2021, Good It’s Gluten Free has successfully penetrated various foodservice channels, including schools, and has made its products available in major UK retailers such as Tesco and Asda.
aly, representing Good It’s Gluten Free, commented on the partnership’s potential, stating, “This deal has opened up an incredible opportunity for our brand.”
Moreover, Thornborrow articulated the vision behind the QuornPro Distribution Partners unit, noting, “Foodservice has been a key target growth opportunity for us, and now backed by the power of QuornPro’s incredible sales, culinary, and marketing teams, we can take Good It’s Gluten Free to the next level.”
In the announcement of the unit’s inception, Thornborrow indicated that the collaboration with Good It’s Gluten Free will initially focus on the education sector. He stated, “We’ve focused on our heartland in schools with the first partnership, where we have become the go-to alternative protein experts.”
The long-term vision for QuornPro Distribution Partners is to offer customers comprehensive menu suggestions and provide them with all the necessary ingredients.
In recent months, Quorn’s parent company, Monde Nissin, reported experiencing “softness” in the meat-alternatives market. Despite this, the company noted that the second-quarter sales decline was less pronounced compared to earlier periods. In fact, Monde Nissin’s comparable sales for meat-free products fell by 2.7% to 3.37 billion pesos ($59.7 million) during the second quarter, an improvement from the 4% decline reported in the previous quarter.
Additionally, Quorn announced that it has begun supplying its fungi-based mycoprotein for use in blended meat products available in the UK. This strategic partnership includes collaboration with the UK’s National Health Service, which has introduced ‘blended’ products on its menus.
