Levi Roots secured Dragon's Den investment after pitching Reggae Reggae Sauce.
Roots, whose real name is Keith Valentine Graham, appeared on the programme in 2007 and presented his Caribbean jerk barbecue sauce. The pitch became one of the show's most memorable success stories because the product already had a distinctive brand identity, a strong personal story and clear commercial potential.
The deal was associated with Peter Jones and Richard Farleigh, who offered investment in return for equity. Roots went on to build Reggae Reggae into a wider food brand, expanding beyond the original sauce into marinades, seasonings, ready meals and other products. The television appearance gave the brand major public exposure as well as financial backing.
A common mix-up is to treat “Levi Roots” as the product name. Levi Roots is the entrepreneur and performer; Reggae Reggae Sauce is the product he pitched. His colourful presentation and musical branding also helped make the pitch unusual within a series normally dominated by spreadsheets, margins and sales figures.