Marlow Bottom brewery Rebellion moving to employee ownership and planning crowdfund
Rebellion Beer Company says the change will keep the brewery independent
A brewery in Marlow Bottom is moving to employee ownership and plans to launch a crowdfunding round in spring 2027.
Rebellion Beer Company said it is transitioning to an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT).
The company said the brewery will be owned by a trust exclusively for the benefit of its workforce.
It said Rebellion has remained independent for 33 years.
What the change means
Rebellion said an EOT is a way for a company to be owned by a trust for the benefit of its employees.
The company said the structure is designed to keep the brewery independent and in local hands.
It said this means the brewery cannot be sold to a corporate conglomerate, asset-stripped or moved away from Marlow Bottom.
Rebellion said the best known UK company using this ownership structure is the John Lewis Partnership.
It said employees will also share directly in the brewery's success through a share of distributable profits.
Why the founders chose employee ownership
Rebellion said founders Tim Coombes and Mark Gloyens wanted to secure the brewery's long-term future while protecting its ethos and community spirit.
The company said employee ownership allows it to remain independent while putting its future in the hands of the people who work there.
It said the two founders will continue to be involved over the next few years.
Rebellion said its management team, made up of existing long-term employees, will increasingly take responsibility for running the brewery.
What it means for customers
Rebellion said it will be business as usual for customers.
The company said it will keep brewing the same beers, to the same quality and consistency, in Marlow.
It said the same people will continue to serve in its shop, pour pints in its Tap Yard and brew its beer.
What the crowdfund would pay for
Rebellion said money raised in the crowdfunding round will go towards five areas:
New fermentation and conditioning tanks to increase brewing capacity and launch new beers
Technology to capture and re-use COâ‚‚ produced during fermentation
Solar panels across the site, backed by industrial battery storage
Further upgrades to the Marlow Bottom Tap Yard, with long-term scope for satellite taprooms across the region
Reducing the debt owed to the founders, which the company said would bring forward the date when distributable profits flow to staff
The company also said the crowdfund will support the transition to employee ownership.
Registering interest
Rebellion said it is still working through the details of the crowdfunding campaign and will share more information closer to the launch.
People can register their interest on the company's website to receive updates.
The company said registering does not commit anyone to investing and there is no obligation to do so.
It said it will keep people's details and contact them closer to the launch, and will not send lots of emails in the meantime.
Rebellion said it will share full details of the crowdfunding opportunity, including the relevant terms and risk information, before the campaign launches.