Recently, Innovative oral care brand Waken Mouthcare has raised £950,558 in a funding round led by investment firm Republic Europe. Founded by Simon Duffy and Rhodri Ferrier, creators of the successful Bulldog Skincare brand, Waken plans to use the new funds to expand its distribution network, develop cutting-edge innovations, and strengthen its position in the competitive oral care market.
Waken, which has achieved £5.4m in sales since its inception in 2019, generated £1.7m in net sales in the 12 months leading up to July 2024. The brand currently operates 4,000 distribution points across major retailers in the UK, including Tesco, Boots, and Amazon, and is also available in international markets like Singapore, Malaysia, Turkey, and Korea.
Simon Duffy, co-founder of Waken, emphasized the brand’s commitment to sustainability and transparency in response to growing consumer demand for eco-friendly products. “The funds we have raised will be strategically invested to fuel growth across key areas, ensuring we continue to deliver on our mission to offer more sustainable, next-generation oral care products,” said Duffy.
While acknowledging the challenges of competing against established oral care giants, Duffy highlighted Waken’s focus on its core values of effectiveness, progressiveness, openness, and principles. “Waken has turned this challenge into an opportunity by staying true to its ethos,” he added.
Duffy and Ferrier previously built Bulldog Skincare into a leading male grooming brand before selling it to Edgewell Personal Care in 2016. Reflecting on their experience, Duffy noted that the sale aligned with Bulldog’s US expansion and provided access to resources that further accelerated the brand’s growth.
