Outside Together

Be part of the next chapter of Alpkit's history.

We are a performance outdoor and bike brand and our love of the outdoors is our guide. Dedicated to mountain enthusiasts, we run, hike, climb, camp, swim and bike.

 

Alpkit is founded on friendship. Offering shares to customers comes from deep within us. It keeps us fiercely independent and holds us accountable. It keeps us true to our ethos.

In 2020 we invited you to join us. We hit our target in 8 minutes and closed 44 minutes later welcoming 1,350 customers as new shareholders.

 

With you at our side, we have certified as a B Corp and become a Living Wage Foundation employer, created 80 jobs, doubled sales to £15m, opened 5 stores and given back over £500,000 to 2,000 grassroots projects through the Alpkit Foundation.

 

We invite you again to join us and:

• build great product with great service

• advance our world-leading sustainability agenda

• grow UK web sales and open 2 stores a year

• expand our international capability and open a European hub

Why invest in Alpkit?


Sign up now for exclusive updates and early access as soon as our share offer launches

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Invest Aware. Investments of this nature carry risks to your capital and should be entered into as part of a diversified portfolio.

Help people Go Nice Places Do Good Things

Enjoy the potential rewards of share ownership

Be a part of Alpkit's history

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The Team

David Hanney

David invested and joined in 2014 as Chief Exec.
Since then Alpkit has grown profitably at almost 50% a year to £15m sales. David is accountable for our vision and product, sustainability & customer strategies

Colin Fisher

Colin Fisher was appointed Chair in 2018 but has been involved since 2015.
He was MD and Chairman of Rohan the direct-to-consumer travel clothing brand and grew Rohan from £10m to £26m over two decades

Nick Smith

Nick Smith started Alpkit in 2004 with Jim, Col and Kenny.
Prior to this he was Design Director at Equip Outdoor Technologies (owner of Rab and Lowe Alpine brands). His brief as MD spans Product Design and Ops

Maddy Turley

Maddy Turley is our Non-Exec Director joining in 2020. She is a digital marketer with international expertise and was Head of International at Wiggle - part of the team that grew Wiggle from £30m to £90m

Karen Stevens

Karen Stevens is Finance Director and joined us in 2016 from GO Outdoors. She joined the Board in 2020. Her team is the rock on which Alpkit is built and she has led our Board with growth in financial safety

Rob Savin

Rob Savin's been our Marketing Director for the last 3 years. He joined from Co-op and is a long-standing customer and outdoor enthusiast. Many of you will know him from our Alpkit Big Night In Winter Webinars

Kenny Stocker

Kenny Stocker is the custodian of our ‘Alpkit’ brand & our 'Alpine Bond'. He is a co-founder responsible for delivering our customer experience from buying online to using our products in earnest

Col Stocker

Col Stocker is one of the four friends who established Alpkit in 2004. Creative force and wordsmith, Col has taken a vital role in developing Alpkit Foundation and Continuum over the past two years

Purpose of investment

Own a part of Alpkit and with you at our side we will

Create 80 jobs to build great product with great service

Advance our world-leading sustainability agenda

Expand our international sales capability and open a European hub

Invest in digital infrastructure to grow our UK web sales

Open two new Alpkit stores each year in key UK locations



10 things you may not know about Alpkit

WE’RE PROUDLY INDEPENDENT. A british brand based on the edge of the Peak District National Park.


WE MAKE. Over 30% of our sales is made by us in our factory. We've 15 makers and seamsters building bikes and making packs and bags.


WE RECYCLE. We've found a new home for 5 tonnes of your used outdoor gear through our network of charitable partners.


WE REPAIR. Our Repair Stations have given over 10,000 products a new lease of life from all brands.


WE’RE SUSTAINABLE. We're a certified B Corp and a Living Wage Foundation employer. We're proud to use business as a force for good.

WE’RE INTERNATIONAL. Over 20% of our web traffic comes from outside the UK and we've sold to 69 countries in the last year.


WE’RE AWARD-WINNING. We’ve been TGO Magazine Online Retailer of the Year for eight out of the last nine years. And an Ethical Consumer magazine Best Buy alongside just 3 global brands: Vaude, Paramo and Patagonia.


WE'RE ENTHUSIASTS. We’re with you sharing our love of the outdoors and belief in nature. There's no place for elitism outside.


WE PARTY. Our own Big Shakeout festival, which touches 1000 people, is in its 12th year.


WE GIVE BACK. Alpkit Foundation has supported over 2000 grassroots projects.



The Alpkit Experience

An Alpkit experience is like losing yourself in your favourite candy store, and being shown around by Willy Wonka himself. It is an experience of delights, it is a place you feel at home, it is a place where you can lose time, where you are amongst friends, where you can share your passion of the outdoors and activities without being embarrassed by your own gushings.

 

You arrive enthusiastic, you leave feeling inspired. It is a place where you are listened to, your opinion matters, you feel fairly treated. Online and offline are united into one. You come and go on your own terms, you are treated as unique you have your own story but our paths are entwined.

 

We are a place to start the day and end the day. You take a little bit of us when you are on the hill, we share your experiences, each rip, mark and stain is a memory recorded in the very fabric of the product. We age with you and we regenerate when we are ready.

 

An Alpkit experience is a breath of fresh air and a flutter in the heart.

 

Kenny, Co-founder

Go Nice Places Do Good Things


Your key questions answered

What did you achieve from your last crowd fund?

With you at our side we have progressed so much in the last two years.

• We've become a B Corp and a Living Wage Foundation employer.

• We've created 80 full time jobs in the UK and reshored our wheel building from China and Taiwan.

• We've doubled our sales now serving 200,000 customers a year.

• And we've opened 5 stores.

Most importantly we believe we've stayed true to our ethos and helped people Go Nice Places Do Good Things.

Why are you crowd funding now?

Customers often ask whether we will have a second share offer.

Inviting customers and staff to be shareholders keeps us fiercely independent. It holds us truly accountable and keeps us true to our ethos.

Two years ago we invited you to invest in Alpkit and we commit to give you regular opportunities to sell or buy more.

With you at our side we have achieved so much. And this funding round gives us the financial strength to embark on the next stage of our journey in financial security.

What will happen with the money raised - your use of funds from this share offer?

The funds raised from this share offer gives us the financial strength to deliver our plan.

Over the next 3 years we aim to:

• advance our leading sustainability agenda with resource reduction, poverty alleviation and de-carbonisation of Alpkit as clear goals alongside giving back to grass roots projects through Alpkit Foundation

• build great product with great service. E-bikes and footwear are in our product pipeline

• invest in digital to grow our UK web sales supported by opening 2 stores a year

• expand our international capability and open a European hub

• grow our team and Board we expect to create another 50 jobs over the coming years

If we achieve our plan then we may more than double in size over the next 3 to 5 years.

There are two elements to this share offer.

Up to £500,000 of the fund raise has been allocated to any of our 1350 smaller investors who would like to sell up at this stage. This is our secondary share offer.

The rest of the fund raise will give financial strength to Alpkit. This is our primary share offer.

Are you growing to quickly? Remember the tale of the hare and the tortoise

We've grown consistently and profitably at almost 50% compound over the last 8 years.

Looking forward, we are not looking for supercharged growth but to grow sustainably in financial safety and together let Alpkit realise its potential.

When we stay true to our ethos our business flourishes particularly with you on our journey.

What is Alpkit's valuation and what is my current shares worth?

We are valuing the Alpkit at approximately 1 times turnover, meaning a valuation of £15m.

This equates to £7.08 per share.

The valuation two years ago was £5.46 a share which is a 29.7% return on investment before transaction fees.

Our goal is to provide a long term financial investment that continue to give good returns for the level of risk.

How much are you planning to raise?

We have set a minimum target of £750,000 and secured a significant portion of this target already.

Last time we hit our target in 8 minutes and closed the offer 44 minutes later having hit our maximum funding limit with 1350 new shareholders.

We have set a higher maximum funding limit of approximately £2,000,000 this time to give customers who invested in the first round the opportunity to sell, hold or buy more and to welcome new customers as part owners.

I invested in Alpkit last time. What options do I have?

You can choose to buy more, stay as you are or sell up.

If choose to sell you realise a 29.7% return on your original investment.

CrowdCube charge stamp duty and transaction fees of which total approximately 7.75% meaning you will receive a cash return of over 20% on your investment.

We commit to giving you the opportunity every 2 to 3 years to sell your shares so you can have a clear timetable for your investment at the point of investing.

How much can I invest?

Our minimum investment is £100 and all shareholders get 20% back on all their product purchases over the last 6 months.

Investments up to £19,999 are held in a nominee to make share ownership as simple as possible enable.

Investments over £20,000 are held directly in Alpkit Limited.

We have just one class of share so all shares equal in all regards including voting rights and value.

We've increased the minimum investment from £10 to £100 because we offer generous shareholder rewards including 20% back on everything you buy from us.

Who can invest?

Anyone over the age of 18 can invest from anywhere in the world except for residents of US, Canada and Japan.

We are partnering with CrowdCube for our Outside Together share offer.

So to invest you have to set up an account with CrowdCube.

Your CrowdCube account is the place where you check your shareholding on an ongoing basis.

Do you plan to pay a dividend?

We aim to grow the value of Alpkit over the long term rather than provide a regular dividend income. That is why we commit to giving you the opportunity to sell up every 2 to 3 years if you choose.

In the short term, we will reinvest retained profit in Alpkit so don't expect to pay dividends for the foreseeable future.

A meaningful dividend for all our shareholders that reflects the value to us of you being a shareholder is unlikely.

This is why we have introduced shareholder rewards of 20% back on everything you buy as a Discount Dividend.

Will everyone invest on equal terms?

Yes. We have only ever had one class of share.

This means the shares that all our shareholders own are identical and carry equal rights particularly in respect of voting and value.

Shares held in a nominee carry identical rights to direct investments. The nominee exists solely to make administration simpler and cost effective.

How do I invest?

To become a shareholder in Alpkit please:

1. Register your interest by signing up completing the form on this page

2. Sign up and create an account with CrowdCube

3. Watch out for updates from us

4. Be ready to invest when our share offer is live on 24 October.

5. When the offer closes you will have a 7 day cooling off period after which your investment is collected using the payment method you gave at the time of investing.

Does pre-registering commit me to investing?

No. Pre-registering gives you the exclusive opportunity to invest first. We'll open the offer privately to those that pre-register and then to the wider public a day later.

We will close our share offer when we reach our maximum funding limit or 21 days later - whichever comes first.


Make sure you have set up an account on CrowdCube as well as pre-registering so that you are able to invest when we go live.

When will the campaign go live?

We plan to launch in late October and have set a target of £750,000.

We will close the share offer on 14 November unless we reach our maximum funding limit of £2,000,000 before then.

Will Alpkit customers have exclusive access to the investment?

We will open our share offer exclusively to customers, staff and investors who pre-register their interest.

Shares will be issued on a first come first served basis.

Last time our shares sold very quickly. We have increased the maximum funding level this time to give more customers the opportunity to be part owners of Alpkit.

How do I make a return on my investment?

We take our responsibilities seriously and know it is important to set out when you can expect to realise a financial return on your shares.

We are looking to grow the value of Alpkit as a long term financial investment. And to provide a financial return on investment that is appropriate for investments of this type.

In the short term, we expect to reinvest retained profit in Alpkit so don't expect to pay dividends for the foreseeable future.

We commit to giving those that want to sell up the opportunity to sell every 2 to 3 years by way of a secondary share offer.

There are other ways we may realise a financial return including a wider public share sale or IPO, management buy out, trade sale, private equity investment, share buy back. 

As with all investments, there is a risk that you will lose all your investment. Please invest aware. Read all the risk warnings and documentation before making an investment

What can I expect as a part owner of Alpkit. Can I play a part in Alpkits future?

Ultimately our goal is to provide a financial return on your investment over the long term that is appropriate for the level or risk.

But what we really want is for you to be at our side and our customers and staff to share the ownership of Alpkit. It keeps us independent and true to our ethos.

We have a calendar of events over the year including an AGM where we give all shareholders early access to our product development plans.

There is a dedicated email address for shareholders to ask questions and a Facebook group for shareholders to comment and talk with each other.

And there is a set of shareholder rewards for you to enjoy.

Many of our shareholders have skills and expertise that have benefited us far more than they realise and we welcome contributions and suggestions from all our shareholders.

What are Alpkit shareholder rewards?

Ultimately, our goal is to create a long term financial investment opportunity.

All shareholders get 20% back every April and October based on the value of their purchases in the previous 6 months.

We also offer tiered discounts dependent on the level of your investment.

We have a calendar of events over the year including an AGM where we give all shareholders early access to our product development plans.

There is a dedicated email address for shareholders to ask questions and also a Facebook group for shareholders to comment and talk with each other.

Who currently owns Alpkit and has else has invested?

Alpkit is proud to be independent.

We are a private limited company established in 2004 that is majority owned by our co-founders. About 10% of Alpkit is currently owned by customers and staff from our first share offer in 2020.

Can I buy shares to give to someone else or transfer my shares at a later date?

Yes. You can buy shares on behalf of someone else or transfer them at a later date. Simply advise us and CrowdCube of the transfer with appropriate evidence.

How do I find out about growth plans and ask questions?

We will publish an Investor Deck when we launch our share offer at 11am on 24 October.

Unfortunately we cannot publish our Investor Deck before the share offer launches as our offer us regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

We plan a webinar on 18 October where you can ask questions and a recording will be shared later.

Please email together@alpkit.com if you have any specific questions you'd like to ask at any time.

What is the future aspiration for Alpkit?

We are proud to be recognised as using business as a force for good.

When we stay true to our ethos our business flourishes.

Its our deep love of the outdoors and belief in nature that is our guide. And we want to let Alpkit realise its potential without being beholden to anyone.

We aim to show that the most sustainable businesses, that make decisions for the long term, are ultimately the most successful.

Whenever we make a decision we look to balance the interests of our shareholders with the interests of our staff, customers, suppliers, environment and the communities we operate.

We do not have any current plans to float on a stock market, merge or sell. We will only follow that path if ever we genuinely believe it is right for everyone.

We commit to giving you the opportunity to sell up every 2 or 3 years and realise the value in your investment through secondary share offers.

What risks does Alpkit face?

Please invest aware. As with all investments, there is a risk that you will lose all your investment. Alpkit faces many risks. Critical risks worth listing include:

Currency risk

We buy most of our products in USD and sell most of our products in GBP. Changes in the value of sterling have a signficant impact on our costs. If sterling weakens our costs go up.

Supply risk

We buy a majority of our products from the Far East including China, Taiwan and Vietnam. Supply disruption can have a big impact on our stock levels and potential sales.

Demand risk

A majority of our sales are in the UK and our stores are based in close to areas of outdoor activity. Historically the outdoor industry has been resilient in good times and in bad. However weak consumer demand is a risk for us.

Competitive risk

The outdoors and bike industry is a very competitive market with dominant retailers and threats for new entrants into the UK market. We trade with European countries and look to expand our sales in Europe.

Liquidity risk

We rely on banks for our stock finance facility. If banks appetite to lend changes then we may face a difficulty in meeting our obligations.

What is equity crowdfunding?

Equity crowdfunding is the process whereby customers, staff and investors (the ‘crowd’) invest in a private company for shares in that company.

The investor then has partial ownership of the company and stands to gain if the company performs well and increases in value.

The opposite is true also that if the company fails or under performs then investors can lose some, or all, of their investment.

As a private company there is no market or stock exchange to buy and sell shares which means you cannot access your investment until there is a specific liquidity event such as a secondary share sale.

We commit to giving you the opportunity every 2 to 3 years to sell your shares by way of a secondary share offer or exit event such as IPO, merger or sale.

What is Crowdcube?

We have partnered with CrowdCube for this share offer.

CrowdCube is a crowdfunding platform. Crowdfunding is where a large number of people pool their money together to back a business they believe in. Crowdcube Capital Limited is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Is Alpkit considered EIS?

No. Alpkit was established in 2004 so we are too old to qualify as an EIS investment.

I don't want to lose my money. Is the investment covered by FSCS?

Please invest aware.

Investments of this nature are not covered by financial compensation schemes.

Investments can go down in value and you may lose your money altogether.

Read all the risk warnings and documentation before making an investment.

Are you regulated by the FCA?

We have partnered with CrowdCube to help us with this share offer.

Crowdcube Capital Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (No 650205).

Invest Aware

Investments of this nature carry risks to your capital and should be entered into as part of a diversified portfolio. This page has been approved as a financial promotion by Crowdcube Capital Ltd who is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (No 650205).