Levi Roots created Reggae Reggae Sauce and secured investment on BBC's Dragons' Den in 2007.
Roots, whose real name is Keith Valentine Graham, presented his Caribbean-style barbecue sauce to the Dragons after building a reputation as a reggae musician and caterer. His pitch became one of the programme's best-known success stories.
He accepted £50,000 for a 40% share of the business. Peter Jones and Richard Farleigh made the investment together, rather than the deal being funded by a single Dragon. This detail is sometimes confused because later publicity often focuses on Roots's personal brand and his partnership with Jones.
The sauce became the foundation of a wider food range sold under the Reggae Reggae brand. Roots's appearance is frequently cited as an example of a television pitch turning a small food product into a national retail business.