Premier Foods has brought its struggling Nimble brand under the Hovis banner to form Hovis Nimble as it attempts to claw back share from Warburtons and Kingsmill.
Sales of the 53-year-old Nimble brand slumped 5.5% to £14m in the year to November, according to the latest data from Nielsen, while Hovis's sales increased just 1.9% to £389m over the same period.
Nimble was also losing share to WeightWatchers bread, which is made by rival Warburtons and has seen sales soar 15.6% to £33m.
Dismissing suggestions it was trying to rescue the two brands, Premier insisted the move was in response to increasing consumer demand for healthy food - and healthy bread in particular. "Nimble is a strong brand with loyal consumers and will positively impact Hovis's market share by generating additional sales in a new sector," said Jon Goldstone, marketing director at Hovis. "Although Nimble has been a standalone brand for over 50 years, there is definitely an affinity between the two brands with Hovis's increased focus on natural health and wellbeing. They both enjoy strong health perceptions among consumers."
While the ingredients and 48-calorie count will stay the same, Hovis Nimble will receive new-look packaging featuring the Hovis logo.
The rebrand comes just four months after Premier relaunched the entire Hovis range.
It would be investing £1m in a marketing campaign next month to emphasise the health credentials of Hovis and the new Hovis Nimble range, said Goldstone.
The move also comes in the week that Heinz had approached Premier Foods over a possible deal for Sharwood's, the leading Asian sauces brand.
It is understood to have first approached Premier Foods several weeks ago and although the initial contact was rebuffed, more detailed talks are believed to have taken place since then.
The 400g Hovis Nimble range is available from this week, in wholemeal, white and malted wholegrain variants, rsp 75p.
Sales of the 53-year-old Nimble brand slumped 5.5% to £14m in the year to November, according to the latest data from Nielsen, while Hovis's sales increased just 1.9% to £389m over the same period.
Nimble was also losing share to WeightWatchers bread, which is made by rival Warburtons and has seen sales soar 15.6% to £33m.
Dismissing suggestions it was trying to rescue the two brands, Premier insisted the move was in response to increasing consumer demand for healthy food - and healthy bread in particular. "Nimble is a strong brand with loyal consumers and will positively impact Hovis's market share by generating additional sales in a new sector," said Jon Goldstone, marketing director at Hovis. "Although Nimble has been a standalone brand for over 50 years, there is definitely an affinity between the two brands with Hovis's increased focus on natural health and wellbeing. They both enjoy strong health perceptions among consumers."
While the ingredients and 48-calorie count will stay the same, Hovis Nimble will receive new-look packaging featuring the Hovis logo.
The rebrand comes just four months after Premier relaunched the entire Hovis range.
It would be investing £1m in a marketing campaign next month to emphasise the health credentials of Hovis and the new Hovis Nimble range, said Goldstone.
The move also comes in the week that Heinz had approached Premier Foods over a possible deal for Sharwood's, the leading Asian sauces brand.
It is understood to have first approached Premier Foods several weeks ago and although the initial contact was rebuffed, more detailed talks are believed to have taken place since then.
The 400g Hovis Nimble range is available from this week, in wholemeal, white and malted wholegrain variants, rsp 75p.
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