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09/2025

HOVIS acquired by ASSOCIATED BRITISH FOODS

UNITED KINGDOM Food Processing / Food Products / Bakery / Pastry EV 50M - 150M GBP

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).

-> Deep-dive in AgriFood market trends

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).

Ent. Value

Equity Value

Multiples

EV / Revenue

EV / EBITDA

EV / EBIT

Historical Financials (GBP)

Year
Rev
EBITDA
EBIT
2024
2023

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REFERENCES

Valuation range: EV 50M - 150M GBP

Revenue range: 250M - 500M GBP

Note: This page provides detailed data on a private equity M&A transaction. Detailed and exact financial metrics for the acquisition of HOVIS by ASSOCIATED BRITISH FOODS are reserved for mynth community members. Register for free to unlock full data.

Authors: This transaction was contributed by a verified mynth contributor and cross-checked against available transaction documents and official company communications.