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Champagne-baiting English wine brand invites public investment

17 June 2026 By Michael Huband

Having won numerous awards and picked a fight with Champagne, Folc is now inviting investors to join its next phase of growth as it looks to build a defining modern wine brand.

Kent-based rosé specialist Folc is preparing for the next stage of its growth by launching a public investment round on Republic Europe. The campaign gives investors the opportunity to buy shares in the award-winning English rosé brand as it expands distribution across hospitality, retail and direct-to-consumer channels.

The campaign has already raised more than £870,000 from over 125 investors. Investors can also benefit from shareholder rewards including lifetime discounts of up to 40%, exclusive events, private tastings and priority access to limited releases.

Subject to individual eligibility, investments may also qualify for Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) tax relief.

Founder Tom Cannon describes it as an opportunity to be part of a business helping redefine perceptions of English rosé.

“We’re not trying to build another traditional wine brand,” he says. “We’re building a modern consumer brand around exceptional still and sparkling English rosé. We believe English rosé has the potential to become one of the country’s defining modern wine categories, and we want Folc to lead that movement.”

The story so far

Founded in 2019, Folc has built a growing presence across hospitality, retail and direct-to-consumer channels, selling 100,000 bottles to date. Its revenue and gross contribution figures both more than doubled for the period October 2025 to May 2026 versus the same period 12 months earlier.

*Folc’s wines, included its sparkling, have picked up prestigious awards.*

Its wines are now served in Michelin-starred restaurants and luxury hotels including Chewton Glen and Cliveden House, alongside national hospitality groups such as Young’s, Fuller’s and David Lloyd Clubs.

Unlike many of England’s most recognisable wine producers, Folc operates a négociant model. Rather than owning vineyards, it sources grapes from growers across the South East and produces its wines with contract winemaker Defined Wine in Canterbury.

This approach provides flexibility, reduces capital intensity and allows the business to scale without the substantial investment associated with vineyard ownership and winery infrastructure. By sourcing from multiple vineyard partners, Folc also reduces exposure to the risks associated with a single site or harvest.

Alongside its commercial growth, the brand has received significant industry recognition. Its English Sparkling Rosé was awarded Gold at The Global Sparkling Masters 2026, with Patrick Schmitt MW, chair of judges, describing the wine as “soft at the core, yet cleansing and refreshing too, with a bright and lingering crisp apple finish”.

In its seven years of operation, Folc has already generated headlines beyond the wine trade. Last year, a tongue-in-cheek advertising campaign resulted in a cease-and-desist letter from a Champagne powerhouse, generating coverage across The Times, The Guardian and GB News. The episode became a defining moment for the young brand, showcasing the confidence and humour that continue to underpin its marketing today.

For Cannon, however, the opportunity extends beyond individual awards or headlines.

“People instinctively associate premium rosé with Provence and sparkling rosé with Champagne,” he says. “But England is now producing wines of exceptional quality in its own right. We believe English rosé has the potential to become one of the country’s defining modern wine categories.”

Expertise and opportunity

The funding round reflects Folc’s belief that there is significant long-term growth potential for premium English rosé.

*Founder Tom Cannon at Defined Wine’s facilities, where Folc is produced.*

The UK has momentum behind it both as a marketplace and as a producing nation. It remains one of the world’s largest rosé markets, with the category continuing to outperform many other segments of the wine industry. At the same time, demand for English wine has accelerated dramatically over the past two decades, with the area under vine more than quadrupling since 2000.

Folc believes the combination of a growing English wine industry and sustained consumer demand for premium rosé creates a significant opportunity for a modern, brand-led producer.

That opportunity is one of the reasons the company has attracted experienced figures from across the English wine industry.

Non-executive chairman Frazer Thompson, founder and former CEO of Chapel Down, has invested personally in the business and joined the board to support its next phase of growth. He is joined by Sales Director Guy Tresnan, who spent 17 years at Chapel Down helping build one of England’s most successful wine brands.

Explaining his investment, Thompson says: “There is a growing opportunity for English wine brands that connect with consumers in a more modern and accessible way. Folc has built a distinctive brand, strong early traction and a model with genuine scale potential.”

Discover more and how to invest on Folc’s campaign page.

All investments carry risk and the value of an investment may go up or down. Further information for assessing investment value and risk can be found on Folc’s campaign page.

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