Knoops appoints two non-exec directors
Julian Metcalfe is co-founder of Pret a Manger while Alice Avis was previously CEO and chair of the Sanctuary Spa Group
Knoops has announced the appointment of Julian Metcalfe and Alice Avis as non-executive directors, both also being investors in the business.
Metcalfe is a “renowned” entrepreneur and co-founder of Pret a Manger and founder of Itsu.
Avis was previously CEO and chair of the Sanctuary Spa Group, an international beauty business. She is also the former director of marketing and e-commerce at Marks and Spencer, and global brand director at Diageo’s Johnnie Walker.
Knoops is the 100% owner of its UK multi-channel operations and is growing rapidly, with 20 stores across the UK so far. Knoops has recently opened locations in Bristol, Edinburgh, Nottingham and Leeds, with York, Exeter and Belfast in the pipeline.
Regarding the appointment, Metcalfe said: “Knoops, like Itsu, is a pioneering confident brand with a sense of purpose and a passion for quality. They don’t come around that often and I applaud their leadership and vision. I am hugely excited to be part of this story.”
Avis added: “I have long seen the broad appeal and potential of this brand and am delighted to be taking this one step further by joining as a NED. I truly believe Knoops has found a real ‘sweet spot’ in the F&B market and with that, has an exciting, international future ahead of it.”
Alongside the appointments, Knoops has also announced that it has secured EIS approval for a £5m fundraising, which will be led by Lush co-founder, Andrew Gerrie.
Gerrie co-founded Lush, the global cosmetics retailer, which generates around £1bn in retail sales both online and from approximately 1,000 outlets around the world. He has significant experience in taking businesses global, having expanded Lush into both Asia and the US.
He was chairman of Hotel Chocolat from 2015 until its recent sale to Mars and is an investor and NED of Phoenix Asset Management Partners.
Gerrie said: “Knoops is a fantastic brand that is creating its own category with enormous global potential. I have huge admiration for the work that the team has done to get it to where it is today. I look forward to supporting William and the team in delivering Knoops’ ambitious global growth plan as part of a long-term relationship with the business.”
William Gordon-Harris, CEO of Knoops, added: “The reality of Knoops being a leading global brand has taken one step closer with Julian and Alice joining the board and investing in the business alongside Andrew.
“Their belief in the scale and scope of our chocolate drinks offering and the ability of Knoops to lead this unique category is a fantastic endorsement. We are building upon our world-class team to realise our ambitions.”