Levi Roots staggering net worth after three Dragons' Den members rejected business

Dragons' Den fans will forever recall the iconic moment in 2007 when Levi Roots stepped onto the BBC show, pitching his Reggae Reggae sauce, which has since transformed into a thriving empire.

As Levi prepares to grace our screens on James Martin's Saturday Kitchen, we're taken back to his rise to fame, which saw three Dragons decline to invest in his venture.

Levi's Jamaican-inspired barbecue sauce wasn't the only thing that charmed the Dragons; his vibrant personality and the catchy tune he penned for his sauce's promotion also made an impression.

The Sunday Times Rich List now estimates Levi, born Keith Valentine Graham before adopting his stage name for his music career, to be worth a staggering £30 million, thanks to the soaring success of his product.

Despite pouring his heart into this pivotal pitch, not all the Dragons in 2007 saw potential in his business, a judgement they would come to rue, reports Lancs Live.

Levi sought a £50,000 investment from the panel in return for a 20 percent share in his Reggae Reggae Sauce, a versatile jerk barbecue sauce with the potential to rival traditional tomato ketchup.

Duncan Bannatyne was the first to bow out, bluntly informing Levi: "There's no business in this. I'm not going to invest. I'm out."

Next, Dragons Theo Paphitis and Deborah Meaden judged Levi's homemade concoction, though neither envisioned a prosperous venture ahead. Deborah, in particular, voiced her concerns over the business's scope.

Her verdict was clear: "It's not going to be on a big enough scale for me, so I'm out."

Initially, it seemed Levi would depart without support, yet the tide dramatically changed when Richard Farleigh and Peter Jones entered the fray.

Diverging from their peers, they saw potential in Levi and his sauce that they considered worth the risk. However, their offer came with a steep price tag.

The savvy Dragons' Den duo proposed a deal of £25,000 apiece, doubling the equity Levi had hoped to part with, demanding a 20 percent slice each for their investment — thereby offering the full £50,000 but claiming a hefty 40 percent stake in the company.

Levi hesitated, torn over relinquishing such a significant share of his enterprise, but in the end, conceded.

He graciously acknowledged the terms: "The deal is not ideal for me, but at the same time, it will be fantastic for the sauce, so I will accept it gladly."

The sauce continues to enjoy global success, with Peter Jones still involved as a stakeholder in what he boasts as his "best investment" made on the show.

Richard cashed in his shares for a staggering ten times profit just a year after investing.

Levi's Reggae Reggae sauces have been a staple on the shelves of major UK supermarkets for almost two decades.

Levi was already a celebrated musician before his breakthrough on the BBC show, having bagged the MOBO award for Best Reggae Act in 1998. But his entrepreneurial spirit didn't end with sauce sales.

Although the Reggae Reggae sauce has been his main source of income, Levi has dabbled in various ventures, including releasing his beloved recipe collection, 'Levi Roots' Reggae Reggae Cookbook', in 2008.

He also presented 'Caribbean Food Made Easy' on the BBC and published a cookbook under the same name. His business empire now spans a variety of products, from beverages to snacks and even ice cream.

The talented artist boosted his finances by opening the Papine Jerk Centre in London, which served customers from 2007 to 2013, and he even graced the Celebrity Big Brother house in 2024.

Now a multimillionaire businessman, Levi's net worth is estimated to exceed £30 million, and he's gearing up to share his life story through an upcoming film.

During a Radio 2 interview with Michael Ball, Levi spilled the beans about the potential biopic, mentioning that a director is already on board. He expressed his desire on-air: "I would love for somebody who knows the Levi story."

Discussing who could potentially portray him on screen, he suggested: "Someone like John Boyega, you know from Peckham? He knows my story, he's lived my life.

"I'm in Brixton and he's from Peckham. So he would know what it is to play Levi and to do that."

James Martin's Saturday Kitchen airs each Saturday on ITV1.