THE makers of meat-free product Quorn have signed a lucrative deal with a fast-food chain.

Marlow Foods will supply the meat-replacement fritters to all 1,235 McDonald's outlets in the UK after a successful trial.

Commercial sensitivity prevents the company revealing how much the deal is worth.

Marlow employs 340 staff at is plant in Stokesley, North Yorkshire, and before the McDonald's contract, had a turnover of £80m.

It is a major coup for the company because it is the first time a brand name has made it on to the McDonald's main menu.

The Quorn Premiere will be introduced in restaurants on March 29 as part of the Salads Plus range, which is being promoted by McDonald's as the most significant menu change in its 30-year history.

McDonald's said its partnership with Marlow Foods was expected to increase sales by £40m. A similar experiment with meat-free products in Australia and the US has been a success.

Guy Longworth, marketing director for Marlow, said: "We are very excited about this.

"From our existing customers' point of view, it is a great opportunity for them to purchase Quorn products in a new format in the number one out-of-home restaurant.

"For people who are not yet Quorn lovers, it is an opportunity to try us for the first time."

A McDonald's spokeswoman said: "Quorn is a major, very well known and growing brand.

"McDonald's is always looking to develop interesting partnerships with companies and the Quorn product seemed a good idea. It is a positive move for us."

McDonald's serves between two-and-a-half and three million customers in its UK restaurants a day. It expects a quarter to try the Salad Plus range.

The Quorn meat alternative was launched nationwide in 1994.

Last May, Marlow was bought by Montagu Private Equity for £70m.

The UK retail meat-free market is believed to be worth in the region of £600m