David Flochel, who has held several international management positions in major food and beverage companies such as Mars Drinks (Mars Inc.), Selecta Group and Heineken UK, will become the new CEO of Quorn Foods. He will take over next month when Marco Bertacca steps down after five years at the helm.
Bertacca has led Quorn Foods since January 2020 and has steered the company through a number of challenging times, including the global pandemic, rising inflation and the ongoing cost of living crisis.
More recently, Marco Bertacca’s tenure at Quorn Foods has been marked by the launch of the Marlow Ingredients division, which aims to expand the company’s portfolio. In addition, under his leadership, QuornPro, the company’s foodservice division, created a significant partnership with the NHS to promote the introduction of meat alternatives. This collaboration includes offering both hybrid options and completely meat-free products.
“I want to say a big thank you to the whole team for all the incredible things we’ve achieved in the five years I’ve been with the company,â€? he said. “Despite the challenges of overall growth in recent years, we have improved Quorn’s retail market share, achieved year-on-year growth in our Foodservice & QSR business and launched the new Marlow Ingredients business unit. It has been a huge privilege and honor to be part of accelerating Quorn’s mission to combat climate change through great-tasting and sustainable food.
Commenting on Flochel’s appointment, Betacca added that he knows “Quorn is in good hands”.
“David brings an incredible depth of knowledge and experience to the company and we are already working closely together to ensure a smooth transition,” he said.
David Flochel will take over as CEO of Quorn Foods in November, moving from his role at consumer health company Haelon. This move comes shortly after Haelon confirmed the completion of the sale to Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories SA, a subsidiary of India-based global pharmaceutical company Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Limited.
The management change at Quorn Foods follows the company’s recent financial report, which revealed a pre-tax loss of £63m. This loss is mainly due to high administrative expenses and increased selling and distribution expenses.
In addition to its financial losses, Quorn Foods’ turnover fell by 6.9% in 2022-2023. This decline was largely due to lower demand for meat-free products in both the UK and the US as consumers faced cost pressures. crisis of living.
Despite the challenges, Circana’s data reveals that Quorn and Cauldron retain significant positions in the UK meat-free market, with the two brands together accounting for a third of the category’s total value.
Speaking about his new role, David Flochel noted that while Quorn Foods has a “strong history of success”, the coming year will require a “reset” for the company.
“This is a fantastic opportunity to transform the business into the next stage of its journey and I am delighted to be taking on this new role. I believe with the right focus and execution we can turn around the performance of the company and the current category, he added.
