Company: Premier Foods
RSP: 98p
Market size: £1.6bn
The competition: Warburtons, Kingsmill
The consumer
The bold yellow of the packaging and the transparent section impressed me, while the Hovis stamp leant it an old-fashioned credibility in tune with the Boy on the Bike ad from the 70s. The emphasis on allergy info and 62% wholegrain wheat was useful. The loaf had a very fresh aroma and was wholesome and firm. The smell was very wheaty and the texture was fluffy and soft. Slicing was easy, the taste was spot on, and 98p was a good price. Four stars (out of five)
Doug Mercer, clinical data manager, Horsham
The expert
This looked great. It had a new, stylish feel, but without losing any of the heritage that one associates with Hovis. There’s also everything you need to know about it on the pack, in terms of content. It’s a great all-round package, and it tastes pretty good too. At 98p, it isn’t cheap for a smaller loaf, but it’s below that £1 mark. It may not be ideal for a family, but it’ll appeal to an older market, young professionals and the like. Three stars
Nigel Ashton, business manager, Nisa-Today’s
The Grocer
Hovis needed a champion product for its relaunch this month – and I think the Little Brown Loaf might just fit the bill. I like the new brand logo featuring the iconic image of the Boy on the Bike and the clear plastic wrapping shows off a classic loaf shape which looks unchanged from when Hovis first hit shelves in 1886. The crust was well baked and the interior was light, with a pungent aroma. The taste was quite rich and was best suited to a slap of butter rather than overloading it with other spreads. Four stars
Alex Beckett, senior food & drink reporter
RSP: 98p
Market size: £1.6bn
The competition: Warburtons, Kingsmill
The consumer
The bold yellow of the packaging and the transparent section impressed me, while the Hovis stamp leant it an old-fashioned credibility in tune with the Boy on the Bike ad from the 70s. The emphasis on allergy info and 62% wholegrain wheat was useful. The loaf had a very fresh aroma and was wholesome and firm. The smell was very wheaty and the texture was fluffy and soft. Slicing was easy, the taste was spot on, and 98p was a good price. Four stars (out of five)
Doug Mercer, clinical data manager, Horsham
The expert
This looked great. It had a new, stylish feel, but without losing any of the heritage that one associates with Hovis. There’s also everything you need to know about it on the pack, in terms of content. It’s a great all-round package, and it tastes pretty good too. At 98p, it isn’t cheap for a smaller loaf, but it’s below that £1 mark. It may not be ideal for a family, but it’ll appeal to an older market, young professionals and the like. Three stars
Nigel Ashton, business manager, Nisa-Today’s
The Grocer
Hovis needed a champion product for its relaunch this month – and I think the Little Brown Loaf might just fit the bill. I like the new brand logo featuring the iconic image of the Boy on the Bike and the clear plastic wrapping shows off a classic loaf shape which looks unchanged from when Hovis first hit shelves in 1886. The crust was well baked and the interior was light, with a pungent aroma. The taste was quite rich and was best suited to a slap of butter rather than overloading it with other spreads. Four stars
Alex Beckett, senior food & drink reporter
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