The meeting recapped the latest episode of Dragon’s Den, featuring several entrepreneurs pitching their businesses to the Dragons.
Key decisions included investment offers made by the Dragons, most notably Debra Meaden investing in Panther Milk and a three-Dragon syndicate investing in Sauce Stream.
Several businesses did not secure investment but received constructive feedback, particularly on market size, product differentiation, and marketing strategy.
Attendees included all five Dragons (Debra Meaden, Peter Jones, Touker Suleyman, Sara Davies, and Steven Bartlett) and the presenting entrepreneurs.
Action Items
No due date – Paul Crawford: Work with Debra Meaden to utilize the £50,000 investment and implement a stronger marketing strategy for Panther Milk.
No due date – Peter Neath & Ian Wharton: Collaborate with Debra Meaden, Peter Jones, and Steven Bartlett to scale up Sauce Stream, focusing on cost reduction, retail packaging, and direct-to-consumer marketing.
No due date – Zara Saleem: Address product and packaging improvements for Delicious skincare and refine marketing to better convert social media engagement into sales.
No due date – Caroline Kennedy Alexander & Sarah Bell Jones: Explore expanding LoveRose Lingerie’s product range and lowering unit costs, considering Dragons' advice on niche marketing and business scalability.
Panther Milk Pitch (Paul Crawford)
Paul presented Panther Milk, a plant-based, ready-to-drink vegan cocktail inspired by Spanish leche de pantera, seeking £50,000 for a 7.5% stake.
Initial sales: £31,000 in six months, with projected first-year sales of £567,000.
Marketing strategy focused on experiential sampling and influencer promotion; Dragons noted this approach lacked detail.
Most Dragons felt the business was too early-stage or had valuation concerns.
Debra Meaden offered £50,000 for 30%, countered at 20%, settled at 25%. Investment deal agreed.
LoveRose Lingerie Pitch (Caroline Kennedy Alexander & Sarah Bell Jones)
Sought £70,000 for 15% of a luxury post-surgery lingerie brand.
Positioned as a niche, high-end product filling a market gap for post-mastectomy women, with bras priced at £85-£90 and produced at £29/unit.
Dragons questioned the scalability of the niche, high cost of production, and lack of design protection.
No offers were made; Dragons praised the mission and design, but regarded the business as too niche and not currently investable.
Delicious Skincare Pitch (Zara Saleem)
Requested £50,000 for a 15% share in an Ayurvedic, vegan, plastic-free skincare business.
Highlighted initial press and a notable supply deal as major wins, but Dragons identified issues: sales dip during COVID, unclear conversion from viral videos, and packaging usability concerns.
The Dragons appreciated Zara’s personal story and market trend alignment but concluded that the business needed further development and a stronger sales track record before being investable.
Sauce Stream Pitch (Peter Neath & Ian Wharton)
Returned to the Den seeking £75,000 for 10% of their business, pitching a silicone squeezer for glass sauce bottles.
The product addresses plastic waste by making reusable glass bottles as easy to use as squeezable plastic bottles.
Dragons identified issues with current retail packaging and scalability, but praised the device's quality and viral potential.
After initial missteps in investor preference communication, a joint offer from Debra Meaden, Peter Jones, and Steven Bartlett was made: £75,000 for 33% (11% each), which was accepted.
Decisions
Debra Meaden to invest £50,000 for 25% of Panther Milk — Based on belief in market gap and brand, with entrepreneur agreeing to a higher equity stake.
Debra Meaden, Peter Jones, and Steven Bartlett to invest £75,000 for 33% of Sauce Stream — Rationale: combined skills in manufacturing, retail, and direct-to-consumer marketing.
Open Questions / Follow-Ups
Will Panther Milk's revised marketing approach drive the projected sales, and how will Debra’s involvement influence growth?
Can LoveRose Lingerie expand beyond its niche and lower unit costs, as several Dragons suggested?
Can Delicious Skincare improve its packaging and marketing to better bridge social media traction and actual sales?
What steps will Sauce Stream take to secure mass retail distribution and optimize cost structure with new investment?