The shift to flexitarian diets has resulted in bumper sales for meat substitute firm Quorn Foods.
The company announced “unprecedented” results this week, along with a £150m investment in its Billingham facility, creating hundreds of jobs in Teesside and North Yorkshire over the next five years.
Sales were up 19% globally and 15% in the UK in the first half of this year, said CEO Kevin Brennan. “Our growth will continue as expected, regardless of the Brexit deal that is reached,” he added.
The company said the performance – and it’s “billion dollar potential” – is “rooted in the fact that a ‘flexitarian’ diet is not merely a trend or food fad, but a genuine move to reduce the over consumption of meat and instead choose foods including protein sources that are healthier for you and for the planet”.
Up to 68% of Brits could be considered flexitarian, according to the Foresight Factory. YouGov research, published by the EatingBetter campaign in May, showed that 44% of consumers are “willing or already committed to cutting down or cutting out meat”.
Supermarkets and foodservice businesses are tapping into the trend, promoting a range of meat-free or plant-focused products and dishes.
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