Mixer maker co-founder enjoys £73m stake payout

One of the founders of posh mixer maker Fever-tree is toasting a £73 million windfall after cashing in on the firm’s recent success by selling a stake in the group. Deputy chairman Charles Rolls offloaded a 3.9 per cent stake – almost doubling the number of shares he originally intended to sell after “significant” demand from institutional investors, according to the group.

He sold 4.5 million shares at a price of £16.25 each. It comes after the tonic water group has seen its share price rise more than 900 per cent since its stock market flotation in late 2014.

Shares in the group have risen more than 50 per cent this year alone.

Rolls continues to own an 11.2 per cent stake in the company following the share sale. He founded Fever-tree with Tim Warrillow in 2004.

Named after the tree in which quinine – a key ingredient for tonic – is found, the pair wanted to offer a premium tonic water with no artificial sweeteners, preservatives or flavourings.