Hovis
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- This article treats about brand of flour and bread. For the fictional character from Catscratch, see Hovis (Catscratch)
Hovis is a UK brand of flour and bread, now owned by RHM.
The word "Hovis" was invented by London student Herbert Grimes in a national competition set by S. Fitton & Sons Ltd to find a trading name for their bread, which used a patent flour that was rich in wheat germ. Grimes coined the word from the Latin phrase hominis vis – "the strength of man".
The Hovis process was patented on 6 October 1887 by Richard "Stoney" Smith (1836-1900), and S. Fitton & Sons Ltd developed the brand, milling the flour and selling it along with Hovis branded baking tins to other bakers. They became Hovis Limited in 1918.
After a succession of mergers, Hovis eventually became part of Rank Hovis McDougall in 1962, now the quoted food conglomerate RHM, which also owns the Mother's Pride and Nimble bread brands.
The Hovis part of the business still specialises in high wheatgerm wholemeal flour, the bread being baked independently.
In 1974 Hovis became lodged in the public imagination through an evocative television advertisement, "Bike Round", directed by Ridley Scott, featuring the slow movement of Antonín Dvořák's Symphony No. 9. This advertisement was repeated on British television during 2006 to commemorate the firm's 120th birthday.
