When Ant & Dec, the UK’s beloved double act, recently shifted their spotlight from television to the freezer aisle, it marked more than just a curious career pivot. The pair have become co-owners of The Northern Dough Co., a rapidly growing frozen bakery brand from Lancashire. Their dough products, including pizza, cookie, and doughballs, are now stocked in major supermarkets such as Tesco, Sainsbury’s, and Morrisons. Through their production company Mitre Studios, Ant & Dec are not only lending their faces but are actively involved in content creation and product development, signaling a new wave of celebrity engagement in food brands.

This trend, where celebrities move beyond simple endorsements to ownership and creative input, is gathering momentum. Industry observers highlight bakery and snack products as particularly appealing for celebrity entrepreneurs due to their low market barriers, mass appeal, and high repeat purchasing. Unlike sectors like skincare or supplements, baked goods do not require consumer education and fit naturally into everyday routines, making them readily accessible to a broad demographic. The Northern Dough Co. taps into the growing demand for convenient, enjoyable home-cooked meals—something that resonates strongly as UK consumers reduce eating out and seek affordable, easy occasions at home.

Founded by Amy and Chris Cheadle, The Northern Dough Co. initially gained traction selling at farmers markets and food festivals before securing national distribution. The brand’s ethos of bringing people together around food, whether for family pizza nights or casual gatherings, aligns well with Ant & Dec’s accessible, family-friendly image. This partnership reflects more than a marketing alliance; it’s a strategic collaboration based on shared values and a vision to scale the business through expanded product lines and direct-to-consumer channels, guided by the entertainment duo’s media expertise.

The timing of this venture coincides with a boom in the UK frozen food market, now exceeding £8.5 billion in value and experiencing double-digit growth across categories like frozen bakery, desserts, and meal kits. Changing consumer habits—driven by the desire for convenience, reduced waste, and affordable quality—are propelling this sector forward. Retailers like Iceland Foods anticipate “transformative growth” in frozen foods, inspired by trends observed in the US market where frozen food sales soared by over 50%. Innovation plays a key role, ranging from gourmet garlic bread to flash-frozen sushi, signalling a shift away from the frozen aisle’s old reputation as a dusty corner to becoming a vibrant arena for premium and value-driven products.

Supporting this expansion is advanced supply chain infrastructure, such as the UK's largest automated cold storage warehouse operated by the Dutch firm NewCold in Corby. This facility exemplifies growing investment in efficient, large-scale frozen food logistics, crucial for maintaining product freshness and meeting supermarket demands efficiently. Alongside storage and distribution advances, sustainability and quality have become important market drivers, with consumers showing increased interest in premium frozen ingredients and ready meals that reduce both cooking time and food waste. This aligns neatly with The Northern Dough Co.’s offering of high-quality frozen dough that delivers convenience without compromising on taste or experience.

What distinguishes The Northern Dough Co.’s partnership with Ant & Dec is its authenticity and strategic intent. Rather than a fleeting celebrity endorsement, this is a carefully aligned business collaboration. The duo’s long-standing understanding of British tastes and their successful food-related content, such as their social media series "Taste Mates," gives them a natural platform to engage consumers beyond traditional marketing. Their involvement extends into hands-on roles in campaign development, product innovation, and potentially facilitating further investment to scale the brand nationally.

This emerging model of celebrity brand-building underscores a broader shift in the food industry, where authenticity, operational commitment, and shared values drive sustained success. The Northern Dough Co. exemplifies this by pairing a well-crafted product with trusted entertainers who have embraced ownership and creative control. In a landscape where consumers seek both comfort and convenience, this collaboration serves as a potent recipe for growth in the booming frozen bakery sector.