Brendon and Jaydon Manders entered the Dragons' Den with just £100 and a seasoning sachet idea called Lumberjaxe. Despite being turned down by the regular dragons, guest dragon Emma Grede invested £90,000 for a 20% stake. The business is now valued at around £250,000 after securing a nationwide deal with supermarket chain Asda.
From £100 to £250,000: The Lumberjaxe Journey
Speaking after the episode aired, Brendon told Metro: 'It's been a bit of a whirlwind since, to be honest, it's been great.' He added: 'We've had such a lovely response from everybody, endless messages. A lot of people saying they've been teary at the show, and it's been really nice because everyone seems to have enjoyed it. I think it struck a chord with people.'
According to The Grocer, Asda initially ordered 40,000 seasoning sachets but has since placed several replenishment orders. This deal is expected to increase Lumberjaxe's turnover by 200% and double the size of its workforce.
Asda Repeat Orders Signal Strong Consumer Demand
Jaydon said: 'We're genuinely thrilled with how our launch has gone. To see Asda place repeat orders so soon after the initial rollout is amazing and shows shoppers are really getting behind the brand. Seeing our flavours on shelves nationwide has been a huge milestone for us, and the response so far has honestly been amazing. It's an exciting start to what we hope will be a long and successful growth within Asda stores.'
Brendon added: 'We've always believed there was room and a gap in the category for our brand. American-inspired flavour-led products that stand out on shelf. Seeing our belief translate into repeat orders from a national retailer is hugely fulfilling. We're focused on building on this momentum and continuing to innovate as we grow our brand.'
