Chapel Down seeks AIM listing to fund expansion

Kentish winery Chapel Down is said to be pushing ahead with plans for an Alternative Investment Market (AIM) listing to fund its growth.

English winery Chapel Down, currently listed on the Aquis Stock Exchange, is thought to be considering the move to an AIM listing as part of plans to double the size of its business by 2026.

An AIM listing for the producer is said to be currently “under active consideration”, with Singer Capital Markets expected to handle the process should an Aim listing materialise.

AIM is the London Stock Exchange’s international market for small-and medium-size growth companies. Among its benefits are the access it provides to a broad range of investors to raise finance for further growth, as well as placing a value on a business. Some firms may also benefit from tax incentives.

Another major advantage of AIM is flexibility. Financial statements need only be filed on a six-monthly basis, rather than quarterly.

According to One Advisory, there is no minimum market capitalisation for a company to be admitted to AIM, but most companies tend to fall within the £25 million to £500 million bracket.

In July 2023, when Chapel Down released its half-year figures, sales revenue had grown by 21% to reach £8.37m from £6.94m the previous year.

Based in Tenterden, Kent, the producer has secured planning permission for a winery near Canterbury, which is estimated to cost up to £30 million, with new vineyards a key part of its vision for growth.

In March, db reported that Chapel Down, which is already England’s largest wine producer by volume, was on course to take on board anywhere above 3,000 tonnes of fruit and the ability to make over three million bottles of wine by 2028.

Chief executive Andrew Carter has said that the winery will be based at Highland Court Farm, and that his goal was to have the property up and running by the harvest of 2025.

The drinks business has approached Chapel Down for comment.