Sales of non-HFSS products at Premier Foods rose 16 per cent in the year to March 2026, as the food manufacturer accelerated its push into healthier eating and reached a key nutrition target four years ahead of schedule.
In its latest Annual Report, published on 2 June, the maker of brands including Mr Kipling, OXO and Batchelors said sales of branded products that are not high in fat, salt or sugar (HFSS) increased year-on-year, reflecting growing consumer demand for healthier food options.
The company said that 50 per cent of its products now meet high nutritional standards while also qualifying for a registered health or nutrition claim, achieving its 2030 target ahead of schedule. During the year, Premier Foods launched 94 recipes supporting high nutritional standards and 91 products offering an additional health or nutrition benefit.
Health-focused innovation included the launch of OXO Bone Broth, while the acquisition of Merchant Gourmet strengthened the group's position in plant-based and minimally processed foods through its range of grains, pulses and rice products.
The manufacturer has also adopted an enhanced approach to health reporting, voluntarily using metrics proposed by the government's Food Data Transparency Partnership to track food sales and provide greater transparency on nutritional performance.
Alongside progress on healthier products, Premier Foods reported significant advances in its environmental targets. Scope 1 and 2 market-based emissions fell by 14 per cent during the year and are now 40 per cent below the company's 2020/21 baseline.
The business invested £2.1 million in a new solar farm at its Carlton Bakery in South Yorkshire, installing 3,500 solar panels capable of supplying almost three-quarters of the site's electricity needs during peak production. The project is expected to cut carbon emissions by around 468 tonnes annually.
A further £3.3m was invested in steam boiler upgrades at the company's Worksop facility, home to brands including Batchelors, Bisto and OXO, with the improvements expected to reduce emissions by approximately 686 tonnes a year.
Nick Brown, ESG director at Premier Foods, said the company's Enriching Life Plan remained central to its long-term growth strategy.
"Our Enriching Life Plan continues to play a central role in how we grow the business responsibly," Brown said. "This year we have made meaningful progress across all three pillars of Product, Planet and People – from reducing carbon emissions and investing in renewable energy infrastructure, to expanding and investing in healthier product ranges and strengthening our support for more sustainable diets, while building the future culture, skills and capability to support business growth and supporting the local communities we operate in."
The sustainability update follows a strong set of financial results announced by the company last month. Premier Foods reported a 6.7 per cent increase in trading profit to £200.4 million for the year, while profit after tax rose 9.4 per cent to £136.6m.
Group branded revenue grew 3.4 per cent during the year, accelerating to 4.7 per cent growth in the second half, while UK branded revenue increased 3.7 per cent overall.