Daily Echo reports on Conker Spirit seeking investment for major expansion

Rupert Holloway

Dorset’s first gin distillery – founded just four years ago by a “disgruntled quantity surveyor” – is seeking £650,000 for a major expansion.

Conker Spirit was founded only four years ago and its bid for new funding values the business at £4million.

Rupert Holloway, founder of the Southbourne based brand, appeared before potential investors from Dorset Business Angels at its latest pitch event.

He told how the business now had eight staff, distilling and bottling more than 1,000 bottles a week. It supplies Waitrose, Marks & Spencer and Fortnum & Mason, with Tesco and Ocado to follow.

Mr Holloway said: “We are hugely keen to capitalise on our brand value and move into national distribution, begin exporting and up-scale our facilities and premises to a much larger scale world-class visitor distillery.”

The business has identified a need for £650,000 in investment and is seeking equity funding of £400,000.

Mr Holloway said: “We aim to invest in our building, to restore and fit it out and create one of best distillery visitor attractions in the UK with a world class reputation, thereby allowing us to build brand visibility and reputation and diversify into the ‘experience’ and the night- time attraction economy.”

The rest of this article in the Daily Echo can be viewed by clicking this link.

Top

Our Pitch Events

There are four pitch events per year, in 2024 they will be held in February, May, September and November. Hosted at a Bournemouth hotel or virtually via Zoom.

At each pitch event, there will be 5 business presentation pitches of 10-15 minutes, to suit all investor appetites. These will be selected by the Dorset Business Angels directors nearer to the event. Short summaries will be posted to our Events page and distributed via our newsletter ahead of the event. Each pitch includes a Q&A session and is followed by an investor debate, held privately.

These pitches and our other social events are ideal opportunities for networking and learning about what is new and trending in a variety of industries. If you would like to be involved you can find out more on our Investors Membership page.

Our Next Pitch Event

Takes place on February 5th 2024 and is open to Members and High Net Worth/Sophisticated Investors from our wider community. 

Registration is open now - click here.

2024 Pitch Events

February 5th
May 20th
September 30th
November 25th