A new division has been established by Monde Nissin to offer the mycoprotein ingredient, the primary element found in their widely recognized Quorn brand, to other food manufacturers.
Marlow Ingredients, a company based in the UK, is launching a new business-to-business (B2B) arm that will provide mycoprotein to other companies. The initial focus will be on European markets, with plans to expand globally in the future.
According to the company, they have reached out to various potential partners to assess their interest and have received an enthusiastic response. They anticipate announcing their first customer within the next few months.
Marco Bertacca, the CEO of Marlow Foods, the Monde Nissin division that houses Quorn, said, “We recognise the urgent need for humanity to eat more sustainably. By making our mycoprotein available to others, Marlow Ingredients will play a pivotal role in helping us achieve one of our missions – to tackle climate change by making great-tasting food.”
When asked about the sales target the company has for Marlow Ingredients, a spokesperson said, “Year one for us is about raising awareness with other manufacturers about our incredible super protein”.
Monde Nissin recorded an impairment charge of 20.5 billion pesos ($365 million) on its meat alternatives business in 2022. While the company’s meat-alternative sales increased by 1% last year, they only saw a modest organic growth of 0.8%.
“The meat-free category, like most other sectors, has seen some challenges over the last 12 months. Inflationary pressures have led to changes in shopping behaviour, as many consumers try to tighten their belts and cut back on spending,” the spokesperson said.
According to the spokesperson, Quorn has been “bucking the trend” and has outperformed the category for ten consecutive months.
Bertacca said there is “huge potential for our mycoprotein”. He added, “Alongside the delicious meat-like texture and incredible nutritional and sustainable benefits it’s famous for, there’s exciting research happening into its ability to create more sustainable versions of other applications, such as dairy alternatives. Marlow Ingredients is initially focussed on building partnerships with food manufacturers, but the potential for the future is very exciting.”
