Hovis Partners with Health-Focused Start-Up, Modern Baker

Hovis has announced an exclusive brand licensing agreement with Modern Baker. The agreement will run for three years and will see the brands working together on the manufacture, development and distribution of unique new bakery products.

Hovis has worked with the Oxford-based start-up since April focusing on product development, manufacture and distribution of the Modern Baker Superloaf and Super Bakery franchise across the U.K and Ireland.

The partnership has enabled Modern Baker to work with the Hovis R&D team to develop and bake its gut-health loaf at scale, to launch the secret recipe nationwide. The new licensing agreement is a natural progression for Hovis, utilizing almost 140 years of experience in bread making and innovation to launch new products that complement its existing portfolio.

“The new licensing agreement is an exciting step for Hovis,” says Jon Jenkins, chief executive officer, Hovis. “Our brand has been at the forefront of new innovation for the last 140 years and we see strong potential for continual growth and the development of new variants with Modern Baker. We know that today’s consumer is increasingly interested in health and gut health, and we look forward to working with Modern Baker to grow the current range and innovate with new fantastic-tasting products.”

“Superloaf is the result of six years of nutrition innovation and this licensing agreement with Hovis is a huge opportunity to make a health-positive impact on the U.K.’s staple food at scale,” says Melissa Sharp, co-founder, Modern Baker. “Hovis is a brand synonymous with quality, not to mention a national treasure and therefore the obvious partner for our ambition to place the U.K. at the center of nutrition innovation.”