RNS Number : 6768H
Virgin Wines UK PLC
07 May 2025
7 May 2025
Virgin Wines UK plc
("Virgin Wines", the "Company" or the "Group")
Grant of Options - Director/PDMR Shareholding
Virgin Wines UK plc (AIM: VINO), one of the UK's largest direct-to-consumer online wine retailers announces that on 2 May 2025, under the terms of the Company's long term incentive plan ("LTIP"), the Board has approved the award of and granted nominal cost options over 221,657 ordinary shares of one penny each in the Company (the "Ordinary Shares") to the following directors and persons discharging managerial responsibilities (the "Options"):
Director/ PDMR
Position
Number of Options previously held
Options granted
Number of options held
Jay Wright
CEO
823,487
35,106
858,593
Amanda Cherry
CFO
230,012
75,094
305,106
Ian Long
COO
265,604
57,572
323,176
Jon Shannon
Commercial Director
276,099
53,885
329,984
The Options have been granted subject to continued employment and performance conditions based on the Company's revenue and EBITDA for the year ending 30 June 2027. The Options have an exercise price of one penny per ordinary share, will vest from 2 May 2028 (the "Option Period") and will be exercisable at the end of the Option Period until 2 May 2035.
As set out in the Company's announcement made on 5 March 2025, Amanda Cherry has taken up post as Chief Financial Officer. In connection with her appointment, and pursuant to the LTIP, Amanda has additionally been granted a special Restricted Share Award ("RSA") entitling her to acquire 300,000 Ordinary Shares in the Company.
Following the grant of the Options and the RSA, over, in aggregate 521,657 ordinary shares, the total number of options over Ordinary Shares outstanding under the Group's LTIP is 5,587,717, representing 9.98 per cent. of the Company's issued share capital.
The Board believes it is key that the Group incentivises and retains directors and senior managers to drive the business forward, whilst aligning their interests with those of shareholders.
Enquiries:
Virgin Wines UK plc
Via Hudson Sandler
John Risman, Non-Executive Chairman Jay Wright, CEO Amanda Cherry, CFO
Cavendish (Nominated Adviser and Sole Broker)
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7220 0500
Matt Goode Carl Holmes Seamus Fricker Elysia Bough
Notes to editors:
About Virgin Wines
Virgin Wines is one of the UK's largest direct-to-consumer online wine retailers. It is an award-winning business which has a reputation for supplying and curating high quality products, excellent levels of customer service and innovative ways of retailing.
The Company was established in 2000 by the Virgin Group and was subsequently acquired by Direct Wines in 2005 before being bought out by the Virgin Wines management team, led by CEO Jay Wright and CFO Graeme Weir, in 2013. It listed on the London Stock Exchange's Alternative Investment Market (AIM) in 2021. Virgin Wines is headquartered in Norwich, with two fully bonded, national distribution centres in Preston and Bolton. It stocks over 650 wines sourced from more than 40 trusted winemaking partners and suppliers around the world which it sells to a large active customer base, the majority of whom are on one of the Group's subscription schemes.
The Company drives the majority of its revenue though its fast-growing WineBank subscription scheme, using a variety of marketing channels, as well as through its Wine Advisor team, Wine Plan channel and Pay As You Go service.
Along with its extensive range of award-winning products, Virgin Wines was delighted that its flagship WineBank service was awarded 'Wine Club of the Year' at the 2024 IWC Awards, was named Online Drinks Retailer of the Year for 2022 at the Drinks Retailing Awards, as well as receiving the bronze award for Contact Centre of the Year at the 2022 UK National Contact Centre Awards. In addition, in 2023 the Group's Head of Buying, Sophie Lord, was named Buyer of the Year by Decanter magazine.
The information set out below is provided in accordance with the requirements of Article 19(3) of the EU Market Abuse Regulation No 596/2014 (as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018).
1
Details of the person discharging managerial responsibilities/person closely associated
a)
Name
1. JAY WRIGHT 2. AMANDA CHERRY 3. IAN LONG 4. JON SHANNON
2
Reason for the notification
a)
Position/status
1. CEO 2. CFO 3. COO 4. COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR
b)
Initial notification /Amendment
Initial notification
3
Details of the issuer, emission allowance market participant, auction platform, auctioneer or auction monitor
a)
Name
Virgin Wines UK plc
b)
LEI
2138002RL2S1UV7CK716
4
Details of the transaction(s): section to be repeated for (i) each type of instrument; (ii) each type of transaction; (iii) each date; and (iv) each place where transactions have been conducted
a)
Description of the financial instrument, type of instrument Identification code
Ordinary Shares of 1 penny each ISIN: GB00BN33TR63
b)
Nature of the transaction
Grant of options pursuant to the Virgin Wines LTIP
Aggregated information - Aggregated volume - Price
221,657 Nil consideration
e)
Date of the transaction
1. 2 May 2025 2. 2 May 2025 3. 2 May 2025 4. 2 May 2025
f)
Place of the transaction
Outside a trading venue
1
Details of the person discharging managerial responsibilities/person closely associated
a)
Name
AMANDA CHERRY
2
Reason for the notification
a)
Position/status
CFO
b)
Initial notification /Amendment
Initial notification
3
Details of the issuer, emission allowance market participant, auction platform, auctioneer or auction monitor
a)
Name
Virgin Wines UK plc
b)
LEI
2138002RL2S1UV7CK716
4
Details of the transaction(s): section to be repeated for (i) each type of instrument; (ii) each type of transaction; (iii) each date; and (iv) each place where transactions have been conducted
a)
Description of the financial instrument, type of instrument Identification code
Ordinary Shares of 1 penny each ISIN: GB00BN33TR63
b)
Nature of the transaction
Grant of RSU pursuant to the Virgin Wines LTIP
c)
Price(s) and volume(s)
Price(s)
Volume(s)
Nil consideration
300,000
d)
Aggregated information - Aggregated volume - Price
300,000 Nil consideration
e)
Date of the transaction
2 May 2025
f)
Place of the transaction
Outside a trading venue
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