Knude Society, the female-founded disruptor in the UK’s high-growth sexual wellness sector, has confirmed its acquisition of edible wellness brand For Play. The transaction, structured as a value-aligned revenue-share agreement, marks a major expansion for Knude Society as it builds a multi-brand portfolio in a market traditionally dominated by male-led corporate structures.
Founded in 2020 by Emma Richardson-Gerrard, Knude Society was born from a glaring market disconnect. Despite women being the primary drivers of the sexual wellness boom, Richardson-Gerrard identified that the sector’s leadership remains overwhelmingly male. Following a lockdown-induced redundancy, she bypassed traditional R&D to build a brand rooted in anonymous consumer data and human-centred design. The brand’s flagship product, Gwen, launched in September 2020 and has maintained a consistent sell-out status, achieving 10% year-on-year growth.
The acquisition of Foreplay highlights Richardson-Gerrard’s ability to scale despite significant institutional investment bias. While the UK sexual wellness market is currently outperforming mature global counterparts with a projected 10.7% annual growth rate over the next ten years – on track to reach a £5.7 billion valuation – female founders in the space frequently encounter a “funding wall.” Richardson-Gerrard bankrolled the initial growth of Knude Society while working a full-time role to fund inventory,.
“When I explored traditional investment, the shutters would come down,” says Richardson-Gerrard. “Sexual health was not viewed as a serious or investable sector by predominantly male investor panels. Rather than chasing misaligned capital, I focused on a sustainable, organic growth model that allowed me to retain 100% equity and eventually acquire For Play on my own terms. Since the takeover, we’ve seen a consistent sell outs and a growth of 20%”
The move also represents a significant operational pivot, with Richardson-Gerrard navigating the transition from hardware electronics into the highly regulated food manufacturing sector. The For Play deal was intentionally structured to avoid the “brand-stripping” typical of private equity buyouts, focusing instead on long-term value alignment. Since the integration, For Play has seen a total sell-out of inventory, with production now scaling to meet a 15% increase in pre-orders.
Now overseeing a multi-brand strategy, Richardson-Gerrard is positioning Knude Society at the forefront of the “intimacy economy,” where sexual wellness is increasingly recognised as a pillar of mental health. “Sexual health is mental health,” she concludes. “We are reclaiming the boardroom to ensure that the products shaping this conversation are built by the people who actually use them. Even the hardest parts of bootstrapping have been worth it to build a business that prioritises real pleasure over corporate profit margins.”
