The founder of Itsu and Pret A Manger is joining the board of Knoops, the fast-growing retailer of chocolate-based drinks.

Sky News understands that Knoops, which is in the process of raising £5m to fund its expansion, will announce that Julian Metcalfe – a shareholder in the company – is to become a non-executive director.

Mr Metcalfe will join alongside Alice Avis, the former chair and chief executive of Sanctuary Spa Group.

The capital-raising is being led by Andrew Gertie, the co-founder of Lush, the cosmetics chain.

Knoops said the new funding would be used to aid its international expansion.

The chain, run by CEO William Gordon-Harris, has 20 stores across the UK, with new openings planned for cities including Belfast and York.

Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News

Read more:
Pret A Manger fined £800,000 after staff member trapped in walk-in freezer
Money blog: Money blog: Is equity release a good idea?
Pret A Manger staff get third pay rise in a year

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

“Knoops, like Itsu, is a pioneering confident brand with a sense of purpose and a passion for quality,” said Mr Metcalfe.

“They don’t come around that often and I applaud their leadership and vision.”

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

Ms Avis added: “I truly believe Knoops has found a real ‘sweet spot’ in the food and beverage market and with that has an exciting, international future ahead of it.”

The new appointments are expected to be announced on Monday.

Related posts:

Liberty Steel tycoon Sanjeev Gupta tells workers: no plants will close ‘under my watch’ UK supermarkets threaten Brazil boycott over Amazon deforestation Ex-TSB CEO Pester joins fintech frenzy with money-sharing app Newsquest in talks with Archant to create regional newspaper giant M&S names former Tesco executive Freudmann as new food chief Labour peer Lord Alli returns to stock market with Marwyn vehicle Lowest demand for cash since central banks hoarded notes over millennium bug fears ASOS predicts a second year of falling sales as losses widen Volta Trucks is saved but bulk of 600 UK workers are currently out of a job Lloyds shareholders could reap £500m bonanza from Telegraph deal ‘Stage set’ for interest rate cut after inflation falls to 2% Bridgepoint nears £550m takeover of consultancy Alpha FMC