Chapel Down has reported an 11% growth in net sales revenue (NSR) for the first six months of 2025. 

Within this, off-trade NSR grew by 30%, hitting £3.8m. The winemaker attributed this to increased listings of rosé and new shopper marketing initiatives. On-trade NSR grew by 3% to £1.2m. 

International growth, meanwhile, rose 17% to £0.5m, largely due to Chapel Down’s partnership with Jackson Family Wines in the US, alongside a new distribution partnership with Anora Group in Norway. 

The only decline was in direct-to-consumer sales, which dropped by 7% to £2.4m. Chapel Down noted that this was due to not repeating a series of initiatives from 2024. 

Elsewhere in Chapel Down’s trading update, it was announced that Martin Glenn, who has been chair of the board since 2020, will be stepping down. 

He will leave in September and be succeeded by Michael Spencer, Chapel Down’s largest shareholder. 

Simon Litherland will also be joining the board as an independent non-executive director in August. He was previously CEO of Britvic plc and held senior leadership roles at Diageo. 

Glenn commented: “It has been a privilege to serve as chair during such a transformative period for Chapel Down. The business is in excellent health, with a strong executive team and a clear, profitable growth strategy. I am delighted that the Board intends to appoint Michael Spencer as my successor. With his exceptional track record in shareholder value creation and deep understanding of our business, Chapel Down will be in very capable hands.” 

On the first six months of 2025, James Pennefather, CEO, said: “Chapel Down entered 2025 with strong momentum, and I am delighted that this has continued through the first half of the year to deliver +11% net sales growth to the end of June. 

“With over 1,000 acres of vines now planted and as the leading brand in English wine, we continue to invest for future growth and can see significant future potential both within the UK and in key export markets.”