Social enterprise Tap Social has raised more than £500k to help roll out its craft beer and bakery goods made by ex-offenders into major supermarkets.
Tap Social was founded in 2016 by sisters Tess and Amy Taylor, and Paul Humpherson, all of whom had come from careers in the criminal justice system.
The business “combines criminally good beer, bakery and busy venues for meaningful change” by providing employment for prison leavers in brewing, baking and hospitality.
It has delivered 105,000 hours of paid employment to prisoners and ex-offenders and now has annual revenues in excess of £2.5m.
Its new investors include ex Punch Taverns CEO Giles Thorley and healthcare innovator David Hipkiss. The business is also looking to raise a further £500k through crowdfunding.
Tap Social said it would launch into its first national supermarket in over 150 locations later this year. The investment will support this expansion as well as new venue rollouts, brewery scaling, bakery upgrades, and brand marketing.
It will also create up to 15 new career opportunities for the company’s workforce, 30% of which is made up of ex-prisoners.
Tess Taylor said: “We’ve been committed to driving a real social change from day one, and this funding will help us significantly increase the impact we can make.
“It’s fantastic to gain further support and endorsement through a number of high-profile backers, and the funding we raise now will enable us to realise our ambitious growth plans. We have big plans for increasing the reach and visibility of our mission through more locations and major national retail listings.”
Hipkiss added he was impressed by “how it has rapidly grown to five locations, including an upgraded brewery and a thriving commercial bakery”.
“The company has so much potential and now is the perfect time to invest as it makes its national retail debut, alongside wider major growth plans over the next couple of years.”
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