Liverpool legends John Barnes and Neil Ruddock have got no beef with it
The classic football match day pie has been given a makeover this season, as Liverpool Football Club launches Quorn meat-free pies at Anfield Stadium. The steak pie has been subbed for a sustainable new half-time treat, which The Carbon Trust says could cut over 100 tonnes of carbon emissions in just one game if all spectators made this change, the equivalent of lighting up Anfield Stadium for 33 seasons.
Will we see meat-free versions of other pies, like 'chicken tikka MoSalah'?
The Reds have launched the new meat-free pie for hungry supporters, as new research reveals nearly half of football fans have experimented with a non-meat or flexitarian diet and 78% would change their diets to help the planet.
Quorn has teamed up with Liverpool FC legends, John Barnes and Neil "Razor" Ruddock, who will be serving up the first taste of the pies at LFC’s game against Burnley on Saturday 21 August.
The former LFC players trialled the meat-free pie with local supporters ahead of Saturday’s game, as the duo took to the streets around Anfield Stadium in a match day pie van.
LFC legend, John Barnes says: “Making better food choices for the environment is a team effort, and given how tasty these Quorn pies are, this is one Super Sub that I think our Liverpool FC supporters are going to enjoy seeing at Anfield.”
Liverpool FC players Andy Robertson, Curtis Jones and Thiago Alcantara were also put to the test by Quorn, to see if they could uncover the new addition to the Anfield menu. The trio sampled Anfield’s Steak Pie and Quorn’s Meat-Free Match Day Pie and it was the meat-free version which came out on top.
A poll of 2,000 football fans revealed a staggering 16 million pies are eaten in an average Premier League season at clubs up and down the country, but 66% said they had never tried a vegan or vegetarian alternative. However, 74% of football fans said they were keen to make more sustainable food choices at games in the future.
The campaign #MeatFreeMatchdays is part of Quorn and Liverpool FC’s global partnership which aims to foster greater food sustainability. Quorn became the club’s Official Sustainable Protein Partner in 2020, helping LFC to contribute to greater food sustainability as part of its "The Red Way" initiative.
The new meat-free steak pie is made using Quorn’s unique mycoprotein, which the company says uses 90% less land and water than animal protein, making it more sustainable for a growing global population.
We were sent one of the meat-free match day pies to try. With vegan chunks of Quorn in juicy gravy and flaky pastry, it’s definitely in the upper crust of plant-based meals. Will we see meat-free versions of other pies, like “chicken tikka MoSalah”?
Gill Riley, Quorn marketing director, says: “We hope Liverpool FC supporters can get behind our meat-free match days and try the pie this football season.
"As you can see by our rigorous taste testing with Liverpool FC legends John and Neil, choosing Quorn is a delicious swap.
“Not only are our Quorn pies super tasty, they are a smart sustainable option. By making better food choices, we can all make a real difference to our health and the health of the planet. Everyone’s a winner.”
Quorn’s meat-free steak pies will be available to purchase for £3.50 at Anfield from Saturday 21 August.
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