Premier Foods to relaunch Quorn to widen its appeal

Premier Foods is understood to be planning a major relaunch of its meat alternative brand, Quorn, in the new year.

The relaunch is expected to include a new positioning of the brand, as well as a number of new product launches.

The company is keen to widen the appeal of Quorn, whose products include meat-free sausages, burgers and fajita strips, as well as chilled and frozen ready meals, beyond its core vegetarian market.

It is not the first time that Quorn has tried to shake off its vegetarian image, with several previous attempts to broaden its appeal as a health-conscious and tasty choice for all.

In 2002, ad agency St Luke’s was tasked to reposition the brand as an everyday healthy food, rather than a vegetarian product. However, the strategy and agency were dropped the following year for a more “conventional” food advertising approach.

More recently, it has again attempted to break into new markets with experiential campaigns such as the Quorn Kitchen, which targeted music and sport lovers at summer festivals and events.

It has concentrated its activity around the summer months, with a focus on barbecue-style products such as the sausages and burgers. It is not known if this strategy will be pursued following the repositioning.

McCann Erickson won advertising business for the brand earlier this year as part of the review of Premier Food’s advertising roster (MW January 10).