The Quorn Story
The search begins
The story of Quorn begins back in the early 1960's. It was a time when nutritionists and health experts were concerned that the predicted growth in population would mean global food and protein shortages in the future.
Food scientists started a search to find new sources for food, which would help to meet the predicted increase in demand. All sorts of potential sources were investigated some more optimistic than others. The scientists who searched for a solution in saw dust had little more joy than those who thought coal would provide the protein source for the next generation.
Rank's answer
In 1965 one company owned by Lord Rank and famed for its Hovis brand decided to put the scientists of its R&D division to work on this problem of solving world hunger. A fairly big task but one they rose to admirably.
An amazing discovery
After several years of searching around the globe, an organism was amazingly found occurring naturally in the soil in a field in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, which ultimately gave Marlow Foods the opportunity to develop a completely new food ingredient. And mycoprotein was born!
The first pie!
Research and development work progressed for many years to find ways to bring this breakthrough food to a wider audience, but it wasn't until the early 1980's that mycoprotein could be grown on a big enough scale to launch a range of products nationally. In 1985, mycoprotein was approved by the UK's Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) as being suitable for food use, and the first Quorn product - a savoury pie - was launched.
Taste, health and convenience
Ironically, a slowing down of world population growth combined with improved food production techniques, meant that the expected world food shortage never actually materialised. However, the new foods made from mycoprotein showed themselves to have associated benefits of good taste, health, convenience and nutritional credentials which have never been more relevant in today's world of growing obesity and chronic health issues.
A bright future
The brand continues to go from strength to strength, which may explain why over 500,000 Quorn meals are now eaten every day in the UK.