Levi Roots sought £50,000 for Reggae Reggae Sauce on Dragon's Den in 2007.
The amount was part of a pitch built around expanding production and distribution of his Caribbean barbecue sauce. Roots presented the product as more than a homemade recipe: he argued that its distinctive flavour, branding and cultural identity could support a national retail business.
The pitch became famous because it combined a memorable product demonstration with Roots’s musical personality. Investment discussions on Dragon's Den typically focus on valuation, so the requested cash is only one part of the negotiation; the equity offered determines what the entrepreneur is giving up in return.
The figure is sometimes confused with the percentage stake discussed during the pitch. The cash request was £50,000, while ownership terms were a separate element of the investment proposal.