via their website (www.quorn.com) i wrote to question the company's involvement with mcdonalds. if you have the time i suggest you do likewise - who knows, if enough people do it, they may reconsider.

below is my reply to their public relations email:

dear mrs. page

thank you for your reply.

i accept that it is good to try to promote meat-free products to as many people as possible, and also accept that you have never chosen to limit your sales to places that do not sell meat. however, the reasons for boycotting and campaigning against the mcdonalds empire go way beyond the fact that they serve meat in their restaurants. (animal welfare, treatment of workers, inappropriate spread of american culture, destruction of high streets, destruction of rainforests, attacks on free speech - need i go on - all this information is widely available - i suggest you look at www.mcspotlight.org if you are truly unaware of it all!!)

the fact that you are happy to use their empire to increase your own profits under the guise of offering choice is way enough for me to extend my boycott to your products (a shame after so many years of using them), and i will urge all my friends and others through internet contacts and sites to do so as well.

yours sincerely

rikki

Customer Services wrote:

>
>6 January 2005
>
>CS-03128
>
>Dear Rikki
>
>We are writing in response to your contact, where you expressed your disappointment about the launch of the Quorn Premiere in McDonalds.
>
>We would like to take this opportunity to provide you with the context for this launch.
>
>As a company, Marlow Foods manufactures Quorn, the brand name for a range of deliciously satisfying meat free foods. We have been in business in the UK for nearly twenty years during which time we have developed an extensive range of products appealing to vegetarians and others who want to reduce the amount of meat they eat.
>
>Our goal is to provide healthy choices for better lives and we aim to get Quorn products onto as many shopping lists and menu's as we can to provide consumers with a delicious meat free choice, which is so often lacking in restaurants and shops alike.
>
>We have therefore developed the Quorn Premiere with McDonalds as part of this objective to provide a delicious new choice for McDonalds customers.
>
>If we were to restrict the distribution to restaurants and shops which don't sell meat, then Quorn would be unavailable to the vast majority of consumers. We strongly believe that by making our product available in as many places as possible, more people will discover that there is a real alternative to meat.
>
>Please be assured that Marlow Foods are not linked to McDonalds in any other way other than producing the Quorn Premiere product for McDonalds.
>
>We hope that this letter helps explain our position. We very much hope that you will feel able to continue to enjoy our products.
>
>Assuring you of our best attention at all times.
>
>
>Yours sincerely
>
>
>Mrs Jill Page
>Consumer Services Manager
>
>
>Any data held is for the purpose of answering your contact with Marlow Foods Ltd and will not be passed to any third party without your permission.
>
>
>****************************************************************************************
>AWARD WINNER
>Quorn's Mince has won 2 awards this year:
>2004 Vegetarian Society Awards Category for Best Meat or Fish Substitute.
>2005 Slimming Award for Best Vegetarian Food.
>
>The Quorn range has also won Slimming Magazine Editors Choice for 2005
>****************************************************************************************
> Quorn - It might just surprise you - visit our website - www.quorn.co.uk
>****************************************************************************************
>