Thursday 3rd October 2024  

Quorn Specialities Ltd

Quorn grocery products - and we don't mean the modern 'textured vegetable protein'! - were a common sight on the shelves of grocery stores in the 1940's all over Great Britain. Quorn Specialities Ltd started in the early 1900s and was based at Knighton Junction, off Welford Road in Leicester. They were named after the Quorn hunt, and their vans and custard tins were colourfully illustrated with hunt scenes.

One of their leading products was their custard powder, but they also sold flour, sauces, stuffings, blancmange and lemonade crystals.

From an annual published by the firm in 1949, it is obvious that their salesmen took a great pride in their products and their work. A quote in the annual from A M George the sales representative for Salop, said "I can honestly say that every customer is a friend and I believe I am a friend of every customer".

Quorn Specialities Ltd were bought out in 1962 by F W Hampshire and Co of Derby. They carried on making the products and retained the ‘Quorn Specialities’ trade mark.

For a more detailed history of the food firm and how the trademark name passed to the modern Quorn vegetarian meat substitute see Artefact 2011.

Submitted on: 2009-08-02 Submitted by: Sue Templeman Artefact ID: 449 Artefact URL: www.quornmuseum.com/display.php?id=449 Print: View artefact in printer-friendly page or just on its own (new browser tab).