Humble beginnings: Levi Roots’ inspiring story

Success stories often start in unexpected places, and Levi Roots is no exception. From batch-cooking his jerk sauce in his home kitchen to securing a game-changing investment on Dragons’ Den, his fame shows that even the most unlikely entrepreneur can build an empire.

According to the Sunday Times Rich List, Levi Roots is worth approximately £30 million today. Stay tuned to discover how he overcame decades of rejection and adversity to reach the top.

Early life and humble beginnings 

Levi Roots was raised by his grandmother in Clarendon, Jamaica. At 11 years old, he moved to the UK to join his parents, who had migrated years earlier as part of the Windrush generation. Settling in Brixton, South London, he found himself in a world very different from the one he had known.

The challenges of adapting to a new culture and dealing with racism made his early years in the UK difficult. But he held onto his roots, particularly his love for music and food. Roots became a reggae musician and gained notoriety, winning himself a MOBO award and performing with legends like James Brown and Bob Marley.

Alongside music, cooking was his major passion. He became well-known in the local community for his delicious homemade jerk sauce, which he produced with his children in his home kitchen and sold at the Notting Hill Carnival. 

Levi Roots’ big break: Dragons’ Den 

Despite the sauce’s popularity, Roots struggled to scale his business. He could only produce so much from his small home kitchen, and he lacked formal business knowledge. Though he approached several banks and businesses over 16 years to invest in the product, he was always rejected, as it was deemed “too black”.

But in 2006, his luck changed. Roots was spotted by a television producer at The World Food Market food trade show, who invited him to appear on the BBC’s Dragons’ Den. Roots had never heard of the show, and when he asked his kids about it, they begged him not to appear, saying, “Dad, don’t go on that show; they’ll just tear you to pieces!”

Undeterred, Roots entered the den with his guitar, singing the now-famous Reggae Reggae Sauce jingle – “so nice, I named it twice!” Roots made a charming first impression, but the Dragons picked his pitch apart. They noticed he miscalculated demand, claiming to have an order for 2.5 million litres, which in reality was only 2.5 thousand kilograms. 

Despite the Dragons’ scepticism, Peter Jones and Richard Farleigh saw the potential. Together, they invested £50,000 in return for a 40% stake in his company. Roots used this to rent premises and equipment to produce his products on a larger scale.

A decades-in-the-making overnight success 

Roots’ appearance on Dragons’ Den was a turning point. His charisma, combined with a great product, resonated with the audience. Almost overnight, Reggae Reggae Sauce became a viral household name, and demand skyrocketed.

Within six weeks of the programme airing, Sainsbury’s stocked the sauce on the shelves of 600 of its nationwide supermarket locations. Over a million bottles sold in its first year alone and the business became one of the most successful Dragons’ Den ever featured. 

Bump in the road: the 2011 lawsuit

Levi Roots’ success story was not all smooth sailing from this point. Once his products became a commercial hit, he faced a legal dispute over his sauce’s origins after a former acquaintance claimed co-ownership of the recipe. 

During the court proceedings, Roots admitted that the story of the sauce being his grandmother’s secret recipe was a marketing narrative rather than a factual account. The court ultimately ruled in Roots’ favour, dismissing the claims against him. 

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In his 2016 Radio 4 Desert Island Discs episode, Roots admits he wishes he had protected the recipe in his business plan from the beginning. He stresses that he wants aspiring entrepreneurs to learn from this mistake.  

Read our guide on writing a business plan as a start-up to learn more about starting a business on the right track. 

Scaling the business with personal branding

With the backing of Peter Jones, Roots scaled his business quickly. He expanded the Reggae Reggae brand beyond just sauce, introducing over 50 Caribbean-inspired products, including ready meals, snacks, and seasonings.

Beyond food, Roots capitalised on his growing personal brand by branching into cookbooks, restaurants, and even television appearances. He hosted cooking shows, such as Caribbean Food Made Easy, showcasing his culinary expertise and personality. These appearances increased his celebrity status and solidified his reputation as an ambassador of Caribbean cuisine. He has also appeared on numerous reality TV shows and gameshows, including The Wheel, Celebrity Mastermind and The Celebrity Chase Special.

On his Desert Island Discs episode, Roots laughed about his miscalculations during his Dragons’ Den pitch but equates his success with his authenticity. 

I thought I was quite rubbish in the Dragons’ Den, myself. But even if you are rubbish, you’ve got to be you, because people are invested in whoever you are. Perhaps if I did get all my numbers right and I was all flash and all that, I wouldn’t have got the investment.

His charismatic personality and storytelling ability have made him a beloved figure, which sustains his success to this day. 

Key lessons for entrepreneurs from Levi Roots’ story 

Nearly twenty years since his Dragons’ Den pitch, Levi Roots inspires aspiring entrepreneurs. From his home kitchen to becoming a supermarket shelf staple, he proves that success does not have to be limited by background or circumstances. His story offers powerful lessons for anyone looking to start and grow a business: 

1. Roots’ authenticity made him stand out. Instead of conforming to traditional business norms, he embraced his roots and personality. This created a strong, recognisable brand. 
2. As a business grows, others may try to claim ownership of its success. Securing trademarks and copyrights early ensures entrepreneurs fully control their brand and products. 
3. Roots could have let self-doubt hold him back from pitching on Dragons’ Den. But he took the risk, and it paid off. Entrepreneurs must be willing to step outside their comfort zones and grab opportunities. 
4. By partnering with Peter Jones, Levi gained financial investment and access to business expertise and industry contacts to get his products into mainstream supermarkets. Entrepreneurs should seek partnerships that provide mentorship, guidance, and access to new opportunities. 
5. It’s never too late to take a small business to the next level. Roots didn’t pitch to the Dragons until he was 49 and had already gone through 16 years of rejection from other investors. 

Ready to create and grow your own business? 

Levi Roots’ story reminds us that anything is possible no matter how humble your beginnings. Sometimes, all you need is a little guidance from an industry expert. 

If that’s you, you are in the right place. 1st Formations offers plenty of support and resources that enable ambitious entrepreneurs to take their first step. We can help you form a company and have you ready to trade in just 24 hours. All 1st Formations customers also get a free .com or .co.uk domain name.

If you found this blog post helpful, check out our other blog posts for more information on running a successful company. Please comment if you have questions about Levi Roots’ story or starting a business from humble beginnings.