Hovis looks set to launch its own take on Kingsmill’s 50/50 loaf.
It has applied to register the name Hovis White N’ Fibre with the Intellectual Property Office, under class 30 covering bread.
Judging by its name, the NPD is likely to be similar to 50/50, Kingsmill’s wholegrain white bread hybrid loaf, which first hit grocery shelves in 2007.
The name White N’ Fibre may be a bid to navigate instructions issued by Defra to Trading Standards officers in 2023. It advised that loaves containing a blend of wheat flours could feature ‘wholemeal’ on the ingredients list but nowhere else on pack.
However, when approached by The Grocer, a Hovis spokesman said the product was “still in development”. He declined to comment further on the trademark activity.
It comes with Kingsmill having lost significant distribution over recent months, according to industry insiders.
The value of the Associated British Foods brand plummeted 13.9% to £109.6m in the year to 21 September 2024, as it sold 11.3 million fewer packs [NIQ]. As a result, its value sales now account for just 1.3% of the total bakery category.
Meanwhile, shoppers have been taking to social media site X to complain they can’t find Kingsmill loaves in Tesco.
“Why do you no longer stock Kingsmill bread?” one shopper posted, tagging the supermarket. “It’s the only bread my disabled child will eat.”
@Tesco Why do you no longer stock Kingsmill bread?! It’s the only bread my disabled child will eat. We spend around £200 a week with you, but now going to have to start shopping elsewhere, so disappointing 😞
— Hairy Gus (@hairygus) August 22, 2024
A search for Kingsmill on Tesco’s website returned no results available for delivery to a south London postcode as The Grocer went to press.
However, a spokeswoman for Allied Bakeries claimed Kingsmill 50/50 was still being supplied direct “to the majority of large Tesco stores across the country”.
“It is also available in some regions through Tesco.com,” she added.
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