JWT poised to swoop on £6m Quorn ad business

J Walter Thompson is tipped to win the &£6m advertising account for meat substitute brand Quorn. The agency is believed to have pitched against Leo Burnett, Farm and Bartle Bogle Hegarty.

It is understood that incumbent St Luke’s was on notice and was not asked to repitch. The review comes just weeks after former Kellogg marketer Guy Longworth joined the company as marketing director. Longworth previously worked with JWT at Kellogg.

Quorn is believed to be pursuing a more conventional food advertising strategy after its campaigns with St Luke’s repositioned the brand as an everyday healthy brand rather than a vegetarian product. St Luke’s developed a &£3m above-the-line campaign for the brand last year.

Quorn is owned by Marlow Foods, which was acquired by Montagu Private Equity in June. It is the market leader in the meat-free sector.

Quorn is made from a mushroom protein and the company is planning to extend its core market by introducing new products. It launched a range of ribs and meatballs for barbecues earlier this summer, and is planning further launches.

It moved its &£2m media account out of PHD and into Walker Media in March.