Businessman scores big as Wayne Rooney and wife Coleen back protein powder company’s IPO

Wayne and Coleen Rooney will take a stake in protein powder company Applied Nutrition when it goes public in London this month.

The listing, which will value the JD Sports-backed group at up to £400m, will net Liverpool founder Thomas Ryder an immediate windfall of up to £94m while keeping shares worth of up to £120 million.

Ryder, 40, a father-of-four who left school at 16, owns a 53.5 per cent stake, worth up to £214m.

It will reduce its ownership to 30 percent in the so-called initial public offering (IPO).

In addition to former English footballer Rooney, 38, and his wife Coleen, also 38, the firm’s brand ambassador, other big-name sponsors will invest £25 million.

Billionaire Mohsin Issa, who resigned as chief executive of Asda last month, has pledged to buy £10m worth of shares.

Construction businessman William Ainscough, boss of housebuilder Wain Group, is to buy a stake for £4m.

Tom Morris, the retail billionaire who founded Home Bargains, another Liverpool success story, will invest £6 million.

Liverpool property magnate George Downing, who made an unsuccessful bid for Everton Football Club this year, plans to buy £5m worth of shares.

Applied Nutrition said on Wednesday it would offer up to 137,408,477 shares at a price range of 136p to 160p, implying a value of £340m to £400m.