There are two individuals Levi Roots often provides because of for making him essentially the most profitable, and arguably most profitable, Dragons’ Den funding story ever. They’re traders Peter Jones and Richard Farleigh who, in 2007, famously provided the Jamaican-British entrepreneur £50,000 for a 40% stake in his “it is so good I needed to title it twice” Reggae Reggae Sauce.
However there may be additionally a 3rd. Earlier than Levi turned a family title virtually 20 years in the past – ”it’s a type of recollections that by no means leaves you, it’s the second that you just pray for,” he says immediately – a near-miracle had already occurred.
“To present you a view of how my life was then, I could not even afford the taxi fare to get to Dragons’ Den,” laughs the 66-year-old, demonstrating the identical infectious pleasure that charmed Peter and Richard, who has since left the present, together with fellow Dragons Deborah Meaden, Theo Paphitis and Duncan Bannatyne.
“My kids had been making the sauce with me on the time. We needed to look by the pennies that we had and I used to be occurring crucial journey of my life and I could not discover the taxi fare to go.
“It is a good factor that the taxi rank in Brixton nonetheless despatched the automobile to return as a result of they most likely knew me and after I obtained to my vacation spot, I needed to clarify to the taxi man that I could not pay the fare to him. However I can let you know this, after I did come away from Dragons’ Den with traders, I went again to that taxi rank to reward the driving force who let me off the fare.”
Levi is immediately value an estimated £30million, in response to the Sunday Occasions Wealthy Record. His Reggae Reggae model has expanded past desk sauces to drinks, meals, patties – even ice cream.
“I would not be capable to put a determine on it as a result of the enterprise is totally large,” he replies when requested if he actually is value £30million. “There’s at all times these figures floating round however the model is simply incredible and it is doing very well.”
Peter and Richard took up Levi’s unique supply even after he botched his figures as a result of, as they later informed him, they’d invested within the man moderately than his sauce. And chatting to the passionate sauce maker and musician turned public speaker, tv presenter and charity patron, it’s simple to see why. Levi exudes the identical ardour and authenticity as when he entered the Den strumming his guitar to serenade the Dragons.
“If I might gone there and pretended to be someone that is aware of about numbers and all that form of stuff, I do not suppose I might be right here proper now speaking to you about being the most effective pitch ever on Dragons’ Den,” he says, chatting to the Categorical shortly after making a speech on the Nationwide Windrush Museum 2025 convention this week.
Folks round him had urged him to not play his guitar as no different contestant had ever sung on the present however Levi, steeped within the wealthy musical heritage of Brixton, South London, for the reason that age of 10, wished to “do one thing completely different”.
And crucially, the humanities stay an enormous a part of his life immediately. It’s why he’s added actor to his lengthy record of skills with a starring function in a brand new quick movie, Kaleido Ghost.
The paranormal thriller stars little one actress Vivienne Aarone, a rising star repped by Hero Expertise Group, who performs a nine-year-old who returns to her former residence after two years within the US. Going to her outdated playground along with her mom, she spots her former playmates, eerily all wearing Victorian apparel.
Levi performs Mr Morris, Vivienne’s adored neighbour. He cherished the film-making expertise.
“It introduced me again to after I was a toddler after I had to spend so much of time by myself as a result of my siblings had been a lot older than me,” he explains.
“It made me perceive how dwelling on this stunning world inside your head if you’re a toddler is such a incredible factor. I believe all adults will love this movie as a result of they may be capable to put themselves again in that second.”
Levi can be tipped to play himself in forthcoming nine-episode tv drama Paradise Retreat, additionally starring ex-EastEnders actor Nitin Ganatra, in regards to the goings-on of lodge employees and their households in Mauritius. It is going to reunite him along with his greatest passions: music and meals.
“I’ll be singing within the present,” he reveals. “Meals and music have helped me to create a incredible enterprise right here on this nation and I’m actually excited to be part of it.”
Giving again to the group additionally figures extremely in his record of priorities. Born in Jamaica, Levi was only a younger boy when his dad and mom left for the UK to start out a greater life for him and his 5 older siblings. He was raised by his grandmother, an “wonderful” lady and famend native prepare dinner who taught him all the things he knew.
When he arrived in Brixton, the transition to British life was robust.
“In Jamaica we lived in a one-room shack that housed all of us,” he beforehand recalled. “When my dad and mom left for England there have been 5 of us in a single mattress. Yearly after they despatched for one in all us there was a bit extra room within the mattress.
“In the future when my swimsuit and first pair of footwear arrived I knew it was my flip to fly within the ‘iron hen’ to see my mum and pop who I did not have a reference to.”
After serving jail time for medication offences, his love of cooking helped him get again on the fitting path. He was requested to audition for the Den after a BBC producer noticed him on the World Meals Market exhibition the place he was selling his Reggae Reggae Sauce.
The daddy-of-eight now visits faculties, universities and prisons to present talks about his life and entrepreneurship – often accompanied by his guitar.
“It has been a incredible journey for me,” he beams. “I take pleasure in going into faculties and seeing the look on younger individuals’s faces after I stroll by the door, and so they know each lyric to the Reggae Reggae Sauce track.
“Once I go into a jail, the jail officers will inform me that no one else can get these prisoners out of their cell to hearken to a chat. However after I go in, it is packed out, and it is simply wonderful.”
Having spoken thrice at Oxford, Levi has additionally acquired three honorary doctorships and fellowships from universities throughout the nation. He’s additionally a long-time ambassador for the Prince’s Belief and says he nonetheless has the starvation to maintain on working regardless of his wealth.
“I stay in a really good home and I haven’t got to wrestle anymore, however the important thing factor for me is to maintain being me,” he says.
“Once you get to my age, in case you can stroll into a college and the youngsters nonetheless know who you might be and nonetheless cheer for you, I believe that is actually incredible and that is magical and that is the rationale why I do it.”
He could also be humble however there are some luxuries he treats himself to, notably his fabulous wardrobe of designer fits.
“That is the a part of luxurious I take pleasure in,” he laughs. “I put on Savile Row, I put on Ozwald Boateng, and I’ve obtained the document as having essentially the most fits from him. I’ve over 35 Savile Row and Ozwald Boateng-designed fits.”
As for his recommendation for would-be entrepreneurs, he says extra individuals ought to specific themselves by their companies. Levi has appeared on tv programmes starting from Movie star Mastermind to Movie star Huge Brother through the years.
He additionally maintains a “incredible” relationship with traders Peter Jones and Richard Farleigh twenty years on. Though Levi introduced his shares again from Richard 18 months later, they’ve saved up a powerful relationship. Richard just lately sponsored and attended a model of Romeo and Juliet which Levi wrote. As for Peter, Levi says the pair stay “very, very shut”.
“He most likely would by no means have spoken to somebody like me in his day-to-day life as a businessman,” smiles Levi. “However we have turn out to be incredible companions. He’s essentially the most inspirational particular person I’ve ever met.”
Peter would undoubtedly say the identical factor about him.
Kaleido Ghost airs on Amazon Prime and YouTube later this yr, Paradise Retreat might be launched early subsequent yr.
