A Norfolk based wine distribution SME will invest £10m in world wine making companies next year through an investor circle of its customers.
Naked Wines, headquarted in Norwich with a distribution centre in Northampton, has set up an investment base which involves its customers – dubbed ‘naked angels’ – putting up cash which is invested in start up wine makers from around the world which Naked Wines identifies with potential. In return, it agrees preferential prices to buy the wine and pass on to the customers.
Rowan Gormley, who founded the company in 2008, says: “Quite a lot of the money is going to go in help our wine makers grow further, to turn entry level wines in to premium wines. One or two pounds investment into a bottle can return a really supreme wine.
“The rest of the investment will be used to attract new winemaking talent to the UK, who don’t have the cash-flow or support network to do so. We have found our virtuous circle, which is what we were looking for.”
Next year’s investment will be double that of 2010 and Naked Wines forecasts that it will increase its turnover from £4m to £9m.
