Balfour Winery, one of England’s leading wineries, has celebrated a landmark year in 2024, reporting record-breaking sales and a surge in visitor numbers. This success marks the business’s preparation for its next phase of growth under a newly announced executive board.
With an exceptional 20% like-for-like increase in sales projected for the year—driven by new listings in major retailers such as Majestic and Tesco, alongside a strategic focus on the on-trade—Balfour continues to outpace the English wine industry. Production also soared by an impressive 92%, with over 770,000 bottles produced at the Kentish winery.
The winery’s visitor centre flourished in 2024, welcoming more than 45,000 guests, up from 20,000 the previous year. This success firmly establishes Balfour as England’s leading vineyard visitor attraction, recognised with a prestigious Gold Medal at the VisitEngland Beautiful South Awards this December.
In preparation for 2025, Balfour has appointed a refreshed executive board under the chairship of owner
Leslie Balfour-Lynn. The team includes Lee Hart as group operations director, Fergus Elias as director of Wine, Adam Williams as commercial director, and newly promoted Rose Jones as finance director.
Reflecting on the year, Leslie Balfour-Lynn said: “We are delighted with our performance in 2024. The English wine industry is highly competitive, but our focus on delivering exceptional visitor experiences alongside crafting world-class wines has driven these outstanding results.
The new executive board combines extraordinary talent and experience. Fergus is one of the country’s most gifted young winemakers, while Lee, Adam, and Rose bring invaluable expertise to our leadership team.
Looking ahead, we have ambitious plans for further growth, including exciting new product launches and developments at the winery.”
