Levi Roots sought £50,000 for Reggae Reggae Sauce when he appeared on Dragon's Den.
The requested investment was part of a proposed equity deal intended to help develop the sauce as a larger commercial brand. Roots had already built recognition around his music and food, but the television pitch brought the product to investors who could provide both capital and business expertise.
The amount is often remembered alongside the equity percentage and the identities of the dragons who negotiated with Roots. Those details describe the structure of the deal, whereas £50,000 is the specific cash investment requested in the pitch.
The pitch is also sometimes simplified into a story about instant success. In reality, the investment, brand development, manufacturing, distribution and later retail growth were separate stages in the product's commercial journey.