HOVIS acquired by ASSOCIATED BRITISH FOODS
Context
Associated British Foods (ABF) has agreed to acquire Hovis Ltd from the private equity firm Endless LLP. This transaction brings together two of the UK's largest bakery brands, Hovis and Kingsmill (owned by ABF's Allied Bakeries), in a strategic move to address long-term structural decline in the pre-packaged bread market. The deal aims to combine production and distribution operations to generate significant efficiencies, with estimated annual cost savings of �50 million. The merger is subject to rigorous scrutiny by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) due to the high market concentration it creates.
HOVIS, which reported an EBITDA margin of in 2024, is valued in this transaction at an EV/EBITDA multiple of , a level to compare with the average currently observed in the AgriFood sector (11.0x).
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Target
Hovis is an iconic British bakery brand with a heritage spanning over 130 years. Best known for its brown and wholemeal sliced bread, the company also produces white bread, muffins, crumpets, and artisanal loaves. Headquartered in High Wycombe, Hovis operates multiple bakeries and distribution centers across the UK. Despite its strong brand recognition, the company has struggled with profitability due to declining demand for pre-packaged bread and extreme volatility in raw material costs (wheat/energy).
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| 08/2025 | NACTAROME GROUP | CLAREMONT INGREDIENTS | UNITED KINGDOM | Ingredients |
| 08/2025 | TOWERBROOK | AMYLU FOODS | UNITED STATES | Bakery / Pastry |
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REFERENCES
Valuation range: EV 50M - 150M GBP
Revenue range: 250M - 500M GBP
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Authors: This transaction was contributed by a verified mynth contributor and cross-checked against available transaction documents and official company communications.