Hobbs House Bakery has been honoured with a 2025 King’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development.
The sixth-generation family-run firm, which operates three retail outlets across south Gloucestershire and one in Bristol, was one of only 27 UK businesses to receive the accolade in the category this year. The awards recognise and encourage outstanding achievements in four categories: international trade, innovation, sustainable development, and promoting opportunity (through social mobility).
Hobbs House Bakery was noted for its sustainability work implemented across all areas of the business, including sourcing, production, logistics, employment, resource use, and waste reduction. Earlier this year, it unveiled a mission to source 100% of its grain from organic or regeneratively farmed land by 2032.
In addition, it is nourishing its 170 employees and continuous training new bakers through its apprenticeship programmes, investing in their development at the bakery to increase capacity for future growth, as well as sending surplus bread to local community initiatives that tackle hunger. The company became a certified B Corp in 2019.
“Our team is delighted that the business has been granted the King’s Award,” commented George Herbert, managing director at Hobbs House Bakery. “We are all on a journey to improve how we use resources responsibly, to produce good, tasty food sustainably and reduce the impact we make on our environment.”
Herbert noted that the company was “really proud” to source ingredients as locally as possible, with the majority of its suppliers within a 20-mile radius. He also highlighted that Hobbs House Bakery has reduced emissions by 22.9% over the last decade, meaning it is over halfway towards meeting its 10-year 42% reduction target. “Our electric delivery vehicles, solar panels, green energy and zero bread to landfill policy have all helped the business on its journey to become more sustainable. In the past year alone, we have removed almost a quarter of a tonne of plastic by changing how we package our products,” he said.
“The Kings Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development has given us the confidence to know that Hobbs House Bakery has been on the right path. Our business will continue to invest in and develop our processes to ensure our work is as sustainable as possible,” added Herbert. “The journey does not really have an end goal – as the business’ circumstances and our environment change, we will have to innovate to be the best for our people, community and environment.”
The King’s Awards for Enterprise – previously the Queen’s Awards – were first established in 1966, recognising and encouraging outstanding achievements in four categories: international trade, innovation, sustainable development, and promoting opportunity through social mobility. Other firms in the UK baking industry honoured over the years have included Kudos Blends in 2016 (international trade), G T Culpitt and Sons in 2016 (international trade), Simply Doughnuts in 2020 (innovation), Luminary Bakery in 2021 (promoting opportunity), and Regal Foods in 2022 (international trade).
No comments yet