Dragon’s Den success story: Levi Roots
Levi Roots shot to fame after his musical appearance on Dragon’s Den where he secured investment for his Reggae Reggae BBQ sauce business. Despite being told by Duncan Bannatyne that there was ‘no future for his business’, Roots is now one of the most successful stories to come out of the popular TV show.
The business pitch that turned his life around
Having grown up in Jamaica too poor to even buy shoes, Levi Roots, whose real name is the slightly less exotic Keith Graham, moved to England when he 11 years old but struggled to find his calling and found himself behind bars. Determined to turn his life around, Roots began making his now famous BBQ sauce at home, inspired by a recipe he learned from his grandmother, and had the idea to sell it at Notting Hill Carnival. This was the decision that would change his life. Whilst urging passers-by to try his delicious sauce in his signature winning style, Roots was spotted by talent scouts for Dragon’s Den who convinced him to appear on the show.
During his memorable pitch, Levi Roots serenaded the panel of Dragons with a song that would later become just as famous as his sauces. Despite the reservations of Bannatyne, Roots managed to tempt two other Dragons enough to take a keen interest in his business, investing a total of £50,000 for 40% equity.
Roots has had incredible success
Reggae Reggae sauces are now stocked in all major supermarkets across the UK and come in a range of flavours. Roots has since expanded his business to include over 50 products, including ready meals, pasties and Caribbean flavoured soft drinks. Not content with remaining solely in the food industry, Roots’ ambition has also seen him release cookbooks and music albums, establish a Caribbean style festival and appear on cooking shows on the BBC. Now, it appears his extraordinary story has captured the imaginations of the film industry who plan to make a movie of his life. When asked about the planned film, Roots replied ‘it’s fab-ilicious, which is that sweet point between fabulous and delicious… It’s amazing.’
It’s estimated that Roots is now worth a cool £35 million, not only proving Bannatyne very wrong indeed, but showing that no matter your background, if you work hard enough and believe in yourself, you can achieve great things.
Are you an ambitious entrepreneur with a fantastic idea like Levi Roots? Wessex Dragons can help you find the investment you need by putting your video pitch in front of our very own Dragons, established business leaders who are hungry for their next big investment. So, what are you waiting for? Upload your pitch today.
