A fifth-generation family-run bakery has been bestowed the 2025 King’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development.
Hobbs House Bakery numbers shops in Nailsworth, Tetbury, Chipping Sodbury and in Bristol (Gloucester Road), is one of only 27 UK businesses to receive this award and one of three in the Gloucestershire and South Gloucestershire region; the highest business accolade for British companies.
The King’s Award recognises the bakery’s outstanding achievement in its sustainability work, which has been implemented in every area of the business – sourcing, production, logistics, employment, resource use and waste reduction.
George Herbert, Managing Director at Hobbs House Bakery said: “Our team is delighted that the business has been granted the King’s Award. 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.”
Hobbs House Bakery is on a mission to nourish people and communities for generations to come and implement their sustainable approach to business at every opportunity.
GEORGE HERBERT, HOBBS’ MD
“The King’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development has given us the confidence to know that Hobbs House Bakery has been on the right path”
Examples include the bakery’s aim to source 100% of its grain from organic or regeneratively farmed land by 2032; nourishing their 170 employees and continuous training of new bakers through their apprenticeship programmes; investing in their development at the bakery to increase capacity for future growth; and sending surplus bread to local community initiatives that tackle hunger.
George added: “We’re really proud to source our supplies as local as possible, and the majority of the companies we work with are within a 20-mile radius.
“Over the last decade we have significantly reduced our emissions by 22.9%, meaning we are over halfway towards meeting our 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.
“The King’s 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.
“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.”
