![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://uknews.evprotec.com/too-many-bad-fake-meat-bleeding-burgers-have-hurt-our-industry-says-quorn-chief/&media=https://uknews.evprotec.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/TELEMMGLPICT000196306093_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqpVlberWd9EgFPZtcLiMQf0Rf_Wk3V23H2268P_XkPxc.jpeg&description=Too many poor quality plant-based "bleeding burgers" are to blame for fading interest in meat alternatives, the boss of Quorn said, as growth in the industry comes to a near halt. Marco Bertacca, the chief executive of Britain's leading meat alternative Quorn, said the boom had run out of steam because too many products were launched that were "not delicious". "The taste is still fundamental when it comes to food," he said. Sales of plant-based meat alternatives soared in recent years, growing by 40pc in 2020 and 14pc last year according to Kantar. It coincided with a boom in new businesses developing lab-grown proteins, with high profile examples such as Beyond Meat and Impossible Burger in the US. A flurry of fake meat companies have launched their own so-called bleeding burgers - which use ingredients such as beetroot juice to replicate the blood in a burger. British start-up Moving Mountains argued it had created "an experience so akin to animal meat, it will convert even the most committed carnivores'. Others including Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat also have their own versions. However, interest in the sector from both customers and investors has rapidly cooled this year. Sales grew just 2.5pc in the eight months to the end of August, according to Kantar. Beyond Meat was recently forced to slash a fifth of its workforce and downgrade revenue forecasts in the face of slowing demand. After a period when "everybody was super enthusiastic, everybody was throwing products on the shelf, and then all of a sudden, it was the case that not everything was good, not everything was delicious, not all the textures worked," Mr Bertacca said. "How many burgers do you currently see on a shelf? I think we need to stop trying to replicate what is already there." The number of plant-based products on sale at Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda and Morrisons had almost doubled since the start of 2020, according to data company Assosia. Mr Bertacca said: "We need to find a way to steer th){kind=link}
Quorn boss says too many products were launched that were ‘not delicious’
Too many poor quality plant-based “bleeding burgers” are to blame for fading interest in meat alternatives, the boss of Quorn said, as growth in the industry comes to a near halt.
Marco Bertacca, the chief executive of Britain’s leading meat alternative Quorn, said the boom had run out of steam because too many products were launched that were “not delicious”.
“The taste is still fundamental when it comes to food,” he said.
Sales of plant-based meat alternatives soared in recent years, growing by 40pc in 2020 and 14pc last year according to Kantar. It coincided with a boom in new businesses developing lab-grown proteins, with high profile examples such as Beyond Meat and Impossible Burger in the US.