Levi Roots
Levi Roots’ ascent to success and stardom began humbly on a market stall
in Brixton Market. His subsequent appearance on BBC’s Dragons’ Den earned
him the investment he was after, along with the experience of Peter Jones
and Richard Farleigh, to take his Reggae Reggae Sauce from the stall to the
supermarket.
And success didn’t stop there: Levi has since had two recipe books
published, and recently starred in his own BBC TV series, Caribbean Food
Made Easy.
You put much lot of emphasis on family What has been your biggest challenge since
Name: Levi Roots
business – is that the real secret of Reggae finding success?
Reggae Sauce? My biggest challenge is the three schools I visit
Career Highlights:
I thought you were going to ask me the secret each day, sometimes 12 or 15 each week. It’s
• Secured investment on Dragons’ Den
spices of the sauce! all about children and young people. I go around
for his Reggae Reggae Sauce.
But seriously, I think it’s great that we’ve everywhere between John O’Groats and Land’s
• Released his Reggae Reggae Cookbook
moved on a bit and I have my own restaurant End, and I have the opportunity to give something
in 2008.
now, because it is a family thing for me. Me and back, whether it’s musical or entrepreneurial
• Starred in his own BBC TV series,
my seven children, we used to get together in inspiration.
Caribbean Food Made Easy.
my flat in July in Brixton and we’d start to make
• Released a book of the same name in
the sauce. So any who visited Levi Roots’ house Do you prefer the sauce or the music?
August 2009.
around July time couldn’t get in! And the place Both, because I have managed to merge them
• Has secured Reggae Reggae Sauce
stank of pepper and garlic in preparation for the together.
tie-in deals with Birds Eye and Subway.
carnival. But now I have my restaurant and all my
children are involved in the running of the Reggae Any other products in the pipeline?
Reggae brand. And I urge you to get family I am thinking about a Reggae Reggae Formula
involved in your business. One car that runs on the sauce!
“I have the opportunity
But recently, I’ve had deals with Birds
to give something back,
What would you have done if you hadn’t Eye and Subway, both are using Reggae Reggae
‘slain the Dragons’ on Dragons’ Den? Sauce in their products.
whether it’s musical or
That’s a good question! There’s also been recipe books and a TV
entrepreneurial inspiration.”
I really think it could have been a success, show, so watch this space for more!
because you have to remember, I had been doing
it for 15 years at the carnival, and Reggae Reggae What are key qualities in an entrepreneur?
Sauce had become quite famous there. Without You’ve got to be focused and you’ve got to have
Hall 1 – 4.15 - 4.45
Peter Jones introducing me to Sainsbury’s, I think passion. I had passion and made it; you’ve got to
Friday
it would have got there, but taken a little longer. I do the same.
believe we would have got there, because I was so
Dragons’ Den’s Sauciest Story Yet
passionate about it – as were the people who had
When Levi Roots sang his way into £50k
tried the sauce before Dragons’ Den.
cash injection on Dragon’s Den he started
a chain reaction. Weeks later, his Reggae
Reggae Sauce was a national sellout. Levi
shares his experience, his song, and little
sauce...
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