Rank Hovis McDougall

RHM plc, formerly Rank Hovis McDougall, was a United Kingdom food business.

The company owned numerous brands, particularly for flour, where its core business started, and for consumer food products.

It was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index but was acquired by Premier Foods in March 2007; many of its brands continue to be produced.

The company was founded by Joseph Rank in 1875 as flour milling business when he rented a small windmill.

In 1885 he built a mechanically driven flour mill in Hull in order to beat competition from abroad.

[5] In 1902, Joseph Rank made his first trip to the United States to understand and beat his American competitors.

Arthur explored ways of improving quality control in food production founding RHM Technology and its research centre at High Wycombe.

Joseph Rank encouraged research work in crustacea farming, cereal and seed production, and wheat hybrids.

[15] The company remained in private equity ownership and sold a number of non-core business, including bakery retail chain Three Cooks.