One of the original Western meat substitute companies,
Quorn has been founded in 1985 in the UK. In 2015 it was acquired for about US$800m by Philippine-based food conglomerate
Monde Nissin. Since then they are gradually expanding in Asia, recently launching a major food service partnership and a
marketing campaign in Singapore.
In November, Quorn partnered with
4FINGERS, Singapore-based fast food chain described to me by a local as “KFC for millennials”. 13 outlets across the island are offering meatless options based on Quorn products -
Chickless Wings and
Chickless Nuggets. They are not 100% plant-based as egg white is used as a binder (Quorn also has a “vegan” range).
I asked Dave Acton, CEO of 4FINGERS about the partnership. He explained they are targeting “flexitarian consumer”. Asked about the popularity of the new offering, he replied:
At this point, it’s safe to say it’s exceeded our forecasts, and inspired us to think about the next [step].
Dave also confirmed they are considering bringing it over to other markets they operate. Which one first? “Australia should be equally receptive” - he said.