Levi Roots has said he has no plans to step away from his Reggae Reggae sauce business, as customers buy into his name rather than the product.
The Jamaican-British businessman and celebrity cook said he will “always have to be there for the business” that he created.
Roots, 67, shot to fame when he appeared on BBC2’s Dragon’s Den in 2007, securing investment for his jerk barbecue sauce that went on to hit the shelves of major retailers.
He told the PA news agency he was “loving it so much” as he continued to be “passionate” about the brand.
“I don’t think people are buying into Reggae Reggae sauce, I think they’re buying into Levi Roots,” he said.
“It’s important that as long as I keep myself intact, I think customers will always be investing in the brand.
“It’s important to me that I will always have to be there for the business – and that’s fine, because I love hard work.”
Roots will be head judge for this year’s Uber Eats Restaurant of the Year Awards.
The winner, picked from 12 finalists spanning the UK and Ireland, will secure a £100,000 prize to invest in their independent food business.
Roots hailed a “cultural explosion” in the UK, as different cuisines emerge and are growing in popularity.
This includes African food, which he said was emerging partly because of the rapid growth of Afrobeats music in the UK, adding that “music and food always blend together”.
Eastern European cuisine was also becoming more widespread, he added.
“People couldn’t pronounce reggae back in the day – and now we’re selling in almost every supermarket in the country,” Roots told the PA news agency.
The businessman, who has also forged a career as a musician, urged budding food entrepreneurs to focus on having cultural authenticity and a genuine passion for their business.
“Even in those early days when you’re not making the money, when you’re not getting to where you want to be, you need to be passionate about what you’re doing and enjoying what you’re doing,” he said.
He added that he had a “fantastic time” even when he was “going round the shires” to sell his sauce product, before appearing on Dragon’s Den.
