Premier Foods to consolidate media planning and buying

Branston owner Premier Foods is understood to be consolidating its £26m media planning and buying business. It follows the food group’s £1.2bn acquisition of RHM, whose brands include Hovis, Bisto and Sharwoods.

The sale, unveiled in December, was completed in March. Incumbents Starcom and Universal McCann are expected to pitch for the combined business. Starcom won the £15m Premier business in December last year.

It is not thought Premier’s five-roster advertising agencies are involved at this stage.

Premier Foods floated on the stock market in 2004. Last year it bought the Campbell Soup Company before making the RHM acquisition