The Warner’s distillery has secured a £1.5million investment to put into international expansion, marketing, production and to improve its position as a tourist destination.
Much of the funding will be used to double the company’s bottling capacity and take it to sales of £25 million within the next five years.
The owned business is understood to be the biggest independent craft gin distillery in the UK, and is based on a family farm in Harrington, Northamptonshire, using water from a nearby spring and home-grown botanicals. The 200-year-old site also acts as a visitor attraction with 10 acres of botanical gardens, distillery buildings, tastings, and tours.
The new money has come from the Midlands Engine Investment Fund (MEIF), and is provided by The FSE Group Debt Finance Fund and backed by the Recovery Loan Scheme.
Warner’s co-founder and chief executive Tina Warner-Keogh said: “We’ve been leading the way with naturally flavoured full strength gins since the gin renaissance of the mid 2010s and were the first craft distillery to launch a range of natural non-alcoholic spirits, which is now one of the fastest growing areas of the business.
“We’ve developed a strong brand around quality and provenance and have secured the funding and resources required to meet growing demand. The MEIF expansion capital means we can continue delivering growth and build on the platform created to date.
“We’re grateful to FSE for their backing, enabling us to double bottling capacity and work towards our ambition to triple sales to £25 million over the next five years.”
Ann Marie McFadyen, investment manager at The FSE Group, said: “Warner’s has proven high demand for its award-winning products, which has in the past been met with temporary recruitment and short-term solutions. Its experienced and capable management team is now looking to establish an operation and employee base that is fit for future growth as they scale the business, and we are delighted to be supporting them to achieve this.”
The MEIF says the global gin market is estimated to be worth £9.3 billion with the UK accounting for £2.2 billion of that.
Warner’s approach is aligned to a changing consumer behaviour, with a focus on sustainability and natural ingredients.
Mark Wilcockson, senior investment manager at British Business Bank said: "MEIF continues to support SMEs that prioritise sustainability and eco-friendly approaches to business and Warner’s Distillery fits this description perfectly as a B Corp.
“The MEIF supports sustainable growth for the region and this investment will support the company’s international expansion from its Midlands base.”
