Dr Tim Finnigan (Research Director) & Mr Alex Glen (Head of brand marketing UK and international), Quorn Foods - Why we need healthy new proteins with a low environmental impact

Something is broken in the way we produce and consume our food. Our food and agriculture now contributes to 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions with half associated with production of meat. Land and water use are reported to become the new oil in global politics as food security becomes a more pressing risk for a sustainable food future. Half the world’s antibiotics are fed to industrially farmed animals contributing to the rise of deadly superbugs whilst cereals and crops that could be used nourish the world’s poorest are increasingly grown as animal fodder and a hugely inefficient conversion of protein and environmental damage. There seems no doubt that our desire for ever cheaper and more plentiful meat is at the heart of issues of food sustainability. Indeed, we can no longer meaningfully separate our dietary choices from their impact on the health of our bodies and of the planet. We need to change the balance by eating less and better quality meat and sometimes none at all. We need new ideas and new and healthy proteins with a low environmental impact to help us achieve this. Foods such as Quorn are already helping consumers transition away from an over dependence on meat – but how has this been achieved, what is behind this new food and what are the communication challenges faced in establishing this world leading brand.