Quorn, the UK’s best-selling meat free brand, has renewed its successful partnership with the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) for a further five years.

The partnership will see Quorn continue to be the title sponsor of the Quorn Family Tennis Cup, as well as sponsor of all LTA grass court events and sampling at The Queen’s Club Championships, where tennis enthusiasts in attendance can enjoy free Quorn samples throughout the week, and take part in an interactive hub promoting the brand’s benefits.

Plus, for the first time, Quorn is launching a partnership with the LTA High Performance Team specifically to test and research how mycoprotein, the main protein source used in all Quorn products, supports the growth of muscle mass and bioavailability of protein.

James Mercer, Commercial Director at the LTA, said: “We are delighted that Quorn will continue its partnership with the LTA and stay with our family of sponsors. The Quorn Family Tennis Cup is a strategic priority for British Tennis which has helped us to get more people playing tennis and we’re keen to understand the benefits of Quorn for elite sports performers.”

Working with the LTA High Performance Team will give Quorn an opportunity to further develop the research it has started wth Exeter University, which discovered that protein found in Quorn foods may be just as good for building muscle mass as animal proteins. Researchers from Exeter University compared whey protein with mycoprotein and found equivalent bioavailability. The partnership with the LTA High Performance Team will include a commitment to continuing their applied research into this area, and use of Quorn within the dietary programmes of its high performance athletes.

Over 10,000 families across the UK have taken part in the Quorn Family Tennis cup since it launched in 2015, either at LTA grass court events or at local tournaments. The renewal of the Quorn title sponsorship means more fit and active families will have the opportunity to take part in informal and fun competitions for the next five years, as well as being encouraged to eat a healthy protein source with products such as Quorn Crispy Nuggets and Quorn Burgers.

Peter Harrison, Quorn’s Marketing Director, said: “Our partnership with the LTA is very important to our Quorn vision, which is to provide food that is healthy for our families and the planet. We also want to understand the positive impact mycoprotein can have on the growth of muscle mass, so it’s truly exciting to be able to extend our work with Exeter University.”

The partnership forms part of Quorn’s £14 million investment in the brand throughout 2018 which, alongside an increased consumer focus on healthier lifestyles and more people looking to reduce their meat consumption, will drive the growth of the UK’s meat-free category.

Quorn Foods is a global market leader in healthy, sustainable protein. Headquartered in Stokesley, North Yorkshire, the company offers a wide range of great-tasting products to appeal to the rapidly expanding group of people wanting to reduce their meat consumption.  The company employs around 714 people and exports to 16 countries around the world, including Australia, South Africa and the USA. Quorn is one of the UK’s top 50 FMCG brands.

The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) is the National Governing Body for tennis in Great Britain, responsible for developing and promoting the sport, with a mission to get more people playing tennis more often. The LTA runs and supports a network of 11,500 approved tournaments for players of all ages, the corner-stones of which are the premier grass court events leading up to Wimbledon, held in Nottingham, Birmingham, Queen’s Club-London and Eastbourne, all title sponsored by Aegon.

The post Quorn extends links with Lawn Tennis Association for another five years appeared first on IPM Bitesize.

Meat-free brand Quorn is putting £10m behind a brand re-launch to boost engagement with shoppers and inspire consumers with recipes and meal ideas to raise awareness and drive sales.

The marketing push, which starts in March, will include new packaging, new products, national TV advertising, social media, a new website and digital video content, in-store activity and sponsorship of the Lawn Tennis Association Family Cup. The new website will go live in the UK from March 1st 2017.

Quorn Foods has appointed independent shopper marketing agency FPP to lead its UK shopper communications in 2017. FPP will initially support Quorn on the £10m brand relaunch. The new campaign will be supported with shopper marketing across all major retailers with in-store, online and on-the-go media.

Julian Cooke, Head of UK Category Management, Quorn Foods said “2017 is a key year for us and we’re pleased to have FPP on board to drive our shopper marketing strategy and activation with our key retailer partners.”

Rhys Jenkins, Client Director, FPP said “We’re delighted to be partnering with Quorn and supporting them on their growth targets across 2017 and beyond. It’s an exciting category to be a part of, and an exciting time to join the Quorn brand. We’re looking forward to making it easy for new shoppers to choose the Quorn range.”

As part of the overall marketing push, Quorn will also be expanding on its already popular range of Mince, Sausages, Burgers, Deli products and Ready Meals by introducing new Chilli & Lime Fillets into UK stores from March 6th.

With the trend towards consumers eating less meat set to boom in 2017, Quorn is getting ready to penetrate the fast-growing audience of existing meat eaters who are looking for tasty alternatives that enable them to eat meals that are better for their families and the planet. The newly expanded range will appeal to those looking to take a balanced approach to their healthy lifestyle, while still being able to create their favourite meals.

Peter Harrison, Global Marketing Director, comments: ‘2017 is going to be a huge year for Quorn. Meat Reduction, Vegan, and Vegetarian diets continuously appear to be on an upwards trajectory and I have no doubt that the demand for healthy, sustainable protein sources, such as Quorn, will be at an all-time high on a global scale in the next few years. Our step-change towards encouraging consumers to discover Quorn has been developed to appeal to consumers looking to try a wider range of ingredients without compromising on taste. Research has proved consumers are becoming more aware of healthy and sustainable foods when it comes to cooking. We’re confident this modern look and feel from Quorn will appeal to both our existing and new consumers and Quorn will continue to grow in the UK.’

The new campaign follows research that confirms 73% of meat-free category shoppers are not vegetarians and meat-free shopper basket spend is four times higher than the average shopper basket.

Quorn launched two new 20 second TV ads starring Great Britain women’s hockey captain Kate Richardson-Walsh and world-record breaking swimming champion Adam Peaty as brand spokespeople in January 2017. Both previously featured in Quorn digital marketing. The ads show the Olympians making and enjoying their favourite Quorn recipes of lasagne and Thai curry, with the strapline “Quorn, a deliciously healthy protein”. The recipes shown in the ads will be available on Quorn’s new website.

The post Quorn major brand re-launch, new shopper agency appeared first on IPM Bitesize.