Levi Roots initially offered 20% of his company when he pitched Reggae Reggae Sauce on Dragons' Den.
Roots appeared on the programme in 2007, presenting his Caribbean-style sauce and the business behind it. The pitch became one of the show’s most memorable success stories because the dragons recognized both the product’s appeal and the strength of Roots’s personal brand.
Peter Jones and Richard Farleigh invested in the business. The televised deal is often remembered as a turning point, although the final commercial arrangements and ownership structure developed as the company expanded beyond the pitch.
Reggae Reggae Sauce later became part of a wider food brand, and Roots became a prominent entrepreneur and television personality. The 20% figure refers to the equity offered during the pitch, not a claim that he permanently gave away exactly that proportion under every later business arrangement.