Company: Hovis
Rsp: £1.65
Competition: Own label
The sell: Looking to bring brand presence to the own-label dominated ambient part-bake sector


The consumer
There were no instructions on how to bake this, other than that it only takes nine minutes. The packaging also seemed to create a sweaty atmosphere, resulting in a patch of mould. When cooked, the loaf was sweet, with a faint vinegar taste. The crumb was a bit soft for my liking, though the crust was crunchy and I liked the grains that coated the bread. However, I can’t see how it offers anything beyond a supermarket’s own bakery range. Two stars (out of five)
Ann Baldridge, harvest development officer, Brighton

The expert
The loaf was small and didn’t carry any cooking instructions, apart from ‘cook for nine minutes’. The aroma was pleasant, although after cooking the inside of the loaf was still a little stodgy. It has a nice texture, crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, although it did fall apart a little when still warm. The product didn’t go hard like most part-baked breads do when cold. Three stars
Heather Perkins, trading controller, Nisa-Today

The Grocer
Baking this was easy (aside from the lack of cooking temperature on the packaging) and my kitchen was soon filled with a pleasantly nutty aroma later borne out by the superb taste. Despite the requisite nine minutes in the oven, I found the texture a little ‘cakey’ a longer bake might have helped. That said, it combined convenience with a classic wholegrain flavour and crunchy crust. Proper cooking instructions would have landed this five stars. Four stars
Charlie Wright, web editor

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