Georgie Padget is folc's sales champion and is on a mission to help us put English rosé on the map. She has been a part of the folc team for over a year now, so it's high time our folk got to know her on a more personal level.
What is your role at folc? What are you responsible for?
I am in charge of sales for folc, allowing our customers to be able to sip folc wherever they shop, stay, dine or drink. I build our relationships with key customers and place folc in trade outlets where our folc customers would like us to be seen. Being a start-up, we all put our hand to different areas of the business, this is something that I embrace as I love the difference of each day.
What did you do before becoming part of the folc team?
My family owned a wine bar, so I have always worked around food, wine and customers. I progressed from the FOH role through to management and more strategy focused positions and in 2018 decided it was time to get further into the wine scene than I already was. Wine is such a fascinating industry, I worked through different roles from tour guide to sales and marketing roles and ultimately decided a people focused sales role is where I thrive.
Tell us a little about your background. How did you get into wine?
I studied my degree in music and worked in hospitality during this time. Working in hospitality, I had the luxury of exploring the wine world. I had a trip to Chapel Down for my 21st Birthday and that's where my English wine obsession started. Since then I have been on a mission to find out as much as I can about English wine production, and in the last 4 years I have been expanding my knowledge with trips to Italy and France securing my love for old world wine.
Walk us through a typical working day in your life.
Being in sales, it is all about the customer - and as cliche as it may sound, no two days are the same. I generally start my day by catching up with emails and orders, and then it's on to checking in with all of our customers to ensure they have everything they need to sell folc!
30-40% of my day is spent working on new prospects and contacts I have made. There is a huge necessity to expand your network, I keep connected with people at events and gatherings and ensure folc is being represented at important trade shows.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
Walk my Golden Retriever (named Pod) and cooking - I have a real love for spending time in the kitchen and creating something from scratch, especially if we have guests!
What are your favourite parts of working for folc?
Meeting our customers - people really are amazing and inspirational. I absolutely love the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit of the business, working with Tom & Elisha to create their vision is hugely rewarding and fulfilling.
Any challenging moments?
Does being stuck on the M25 count? I don't really like to dwell on the challenging moments, they are few and far between anyway! I like to take a positive approach to every situation and grow from our experiences.
Where do you think folc will be in 5 years?
Folc will be the go to rosé in the UK. With projects supporting the planet, women in business and wine education, how could it not?
What do you think the UK wine industry will look like in 10 years?
I am so excited to see what we will be producing in the next decade. I believe we have the potential to rival some of the largest wine tourism companies in the world, along with matching the quality of produce. I think the UK will continue to plant vineyards until they are a common sight and English wine will be consumed regularly by the majority of the wine drinking population. I would love to see more young people choosing wine, tourism and hospitality as their career, it is such a rewarding industry.
Last question…. what’s your favourite grape variety and why?
I have had a long journey with Bacchus, it’s an awesome grape and has put English still wines on the map. It bridges the gap between familiar wines like a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and makes English wine approachable to the consumer. Pinot Noir still sits as the King of the grapes in my eyes, its versatility is unmatched and the way we work with it in England is getting more exciting with every vintage.
Shop folc's 2021 vintage here.