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Picture of “Morningstar Farms” logo with a red barn and greens hills in a farm setting. A skillet holds the brand’s “Breakfast Links” in their packaging.  

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Engineered Protein: Miles Labs Sets Fast Course by Morningstar

# Elkhart, IND –

“From Alka Seltzer to Analog” is not Miles Laboratories’ replacement for “Try it, you’ll like it!” But it sure could be. The company has thoroughly committed itself to dominate the textured vegetable protein scene much as it has stolen the show in fizzing tablets for the past 40 years. 

Lunching last month on the generous samples of the recently introduced Morningstar Farms 100% textured vegetable protien products, a proud offspring of Miles’ Grocery products Div., we understood the company’s unbridled optimism about its future in the engineered foods business. We sampled breakfast links, patties and slices and were the first outsiders to savor recipes made with Miles’ analogs–pigs-in-blanket, lasagna, ham croquettes, acorn squash with links.

# We tried it, and Loved it

Flavor and appearance were first rate in all samples. Further, while texture in the patty was a close simulation, the bacon and links had their own special chew, unusual but not unpleasant. The recipes, presently designed for institutional promotion by Marschall Div., were superb. Gourmet standards can obviously be achieved with analogs as the basic protein element.

Why do these engineered food products work so well? Much has to do with Miles’ special expertise in flavor development. The company has substantial food research and development capabilities plus experience in solving customer problems. This is a decided advantage in the new protein analog field. Textured vegetable protein picks up flavor well. Its non-cellular low fat uniform consistency minimizes shrinkage and yields easy control of cooked appearance. 

Generally, flavors and appearance are dominant factors in food acceptance. Texture, on the other hand, is a more debatable quality; some like to gnash and others like to chomp their proteins. Miles claims it has or will soon have the technology needed to simulate just about any texture or chew desired. Behind much of the enthusiasm at Miles is the stellar record being racked up in Morningstar Farms products test marketing in Chicago, Florida, California, Arizona and Wisconsin. Introduced about a year ago with no price advantage over equivalent meat products, they have become a number one dollar volume line in super market frozen breakfast sections. 

# How to Sell Analogs 

Morningstar Farms success is undoubtedly due in part to the products’ lack of cholesterol. Credit, however, must be given to the imaginative introductory campaign carried out by Tathan-Laird & Kudner, Miles’ Chicago ad agency. TLK decided to overcome the “synthetic” image which may have been responsible for General Mills’ unsuccessful debut of an analog sausage last year. 

Creating a bucolic brand name and colorful old-fashioned-package, TLK then pitched both at store managers and consumers, “textured vegetable protien is really a down-home product, as American as apple pie.” Extensive commercials emphasize not science but, rather, good tasting food… and with very soft-voiced reassurance to those consumers worried about cholesterol and animal fat. 

# Up, Up and Away 

Encouraged by early success, Miles Laboratories will roll out Morningstar Farms products nationwide by 1975. It also plans to increase production of its institutional and process-oriented protein line and is just starting up a plant in Schaumburg, Ill., to turn out the textured product. 

“We have no way to go but up,” enthuses Bob McGrath, Marschall Div. exec vp, “With evidence that the consumer is willing to pay as much for analogs as for the original thing, we are bound, as production grows and technology improves, to see textured vegetable protein become less costly, hence a constantly growing part of the human diet. Proof is on hand already. 

“Textured vegetable protein granules used to sell at about 30 cents/lb last year. Even with inflation they’re a few cents less now, and the price should go down steadily.”

[additional notes]

Very optimistic review, showing the height and excitement of TVP and meat alternatives during this period. 

Shows the importance of both marketing, sensory appeal, and familiarity in gaining consumer acceptance.  

- Sarah Giovennella