Levi Roots received £50,000 for a 40% stake in his sauce business after appearing on Dragon's Den.
Roots pitched his Reggae Reggae Sauce on the programme in 2007. The offer became one of the show's most widely remembered deals because it linked a distinctive food product with a strong personal brand and an unusually memorable pitch. The investment helped turn a market-stall product into a much larger commercial business.
The deal was made with Peter Jones and Richard Farleigh. The agreed equity was 40%, and the amount was £50,000, not the larger figures sometimes associated with the sauce's later commercial success.
After the broadcast, Reggae Reggae Sauce gained substantial visibility and expanded into supermarkets and related food products. The pitch is often cited as an example of how television exposure, branding and retail distribution can amplify a small food company.