LONDON, July 8 (Reuters) - Associated British Foods said on Wednesday it has completed the purchase of Hovis, adding one of Britain's best-known bread brands to its Kingsmill brand as it seeks to better compete in a market that has seen a decline in demand for the packaged sliced loaf.

• AB Foods ABF.L agreed to buy the 135-year-old Hovis brand from private equity firm Endless for about £75 million ($100 million) in August last year.

• The deal was probed by Britain's competition regulator and cleared last month.

• AB Foods' Allied Bakeries unit also owns the Sunblest and Allinson's brands.

• It said the integration of Allied Bakeries and Hovis is expected to deliver substantial operational synergies and efficiencies across production and distribution.

• From Wednesday, Allied Bakeries and Hovis will operate as Hovis Bakeries.

• The acquisition is forecast to be marginally dilutive to AB Foods' earnings in 2026-2027, with the transaction becoming accretive thereafter.

• AB Foods confirmed in April it would spin off its Primark fashion business from its food businesses.

• Last week, AB Foods warned its sugar business would be loss-making for at least two more years.

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