Liverpool drinks firm Halewood Wines and Spirits in £50m RBS deal

Merseyside drinks maker Halewood Wines and Spirits PLC has secured a new eight-figure debt facility from the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS).

The £50m three-year package will be used to support the new management team’s growth and acquisition strategy in the coming years.

The strategy, introduced under the leadership of chief exec Stewart Hainsworth, includes developing a balanced portfolio of spirit brands to bolster the firm’s existing drinks lineup, which includes Crabbies and Red Square.

According to Halewood, the development of its craft spirits portfolio is already well underway, with the Whitley Neill Gin brand experiencing “strong” growth following recent investments in Pogues Irish Whiskey, West Cork Distillers and Rum Sixty-Six.

The Liverpool-based company also recently invested in Hawkshead, a craft beer brewery in the Lake District, and started constructing a new Welsh whisky distillery near Aber Falls.

A family-owned business employing more than 300 people in the UK, Halewood has a turnover of £215m and sells in 90 countries worldwide.

Stewart Hainsworth said: “The partnership with RBS is another important step forward in Halewood’s strategic plan to build a portfolio of distinctive brands with strong local provenance.”

RBS director of asset based lending, Andy Pickford, commented: “We were immediately impressed with Stewart, Alan and the senior management team, especially with their sector insight and their plans to develop the business.

“Our asset based lending facility fits perfectly with their ambitions, providing a source of flexible, cost-effective financing, with key terms built around the strategic plan.”

He added: “We are confident that this funding will support the company’s growth ambitions in the coming years.”

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