Bread company spends ?20m on improvements

New Hovis ad campaign

Hovis is investing ?20m in new product, packaging and advertising to strengthen its position as the foundation of a healthy diet.

The sum includes a ?7m investment in recipe improvements across the range. Changes include improved texture, whiteness and slice appearance for Hovis Square White and a maltier flavour and thicker, larger slices for Hovis Wholemeal.

Hovis is extending its premium bread range in response to increasing consumer demand for healthy, premium breads. New products include Hovis Supreme White, Hovis Farmhouse Best of Both and Hovis Oatmeal Granary.

Hovis has also introduced two 400g Granary loaves, Hovis White Granary and Hovis Country Granary, to meet the needs of the increasing number of smaller households.

Brendan Rice, head of marketing for Hovis comments: ?Hovis is putting significant investment into encouraging families to reappraise bread as the foundation of a healthy diet. The recipe improvements provide consumers of all generations with the highest quality bread, and the extensions to our premium portfolio demonstrate Hovis?s dedication to meeting the changing needs of our consumers?.

Hovis?s bread packaging has been redesigned to better communicate Hovis?s health credentials, and includes a new logo incorporating the message ?Something Good Inside?. The brand has spent ?2m on producing an improved quality, thicker bread bag. New packaging will be in-store from 23 July.

The changes will be supported by an ?8m television advertising campaign, commencing on 21 July, with the strapline ?Hovis Is For Life?. Outdoor poster advertising and a consumer pr campaign will follow.