A pair of Birmingham brothers won backing from a fashion entrepreneur last night on hit BBC show Dragons' Den.
Brendon Manders and his younger brother Jaydon, from Bartley Green, pitched their seasonings and sauces business Lumberjaxe to a six-strong panel in the famous den.
They asked for £90,000 in exchange for a 20 per cent share in the firm before agreeing a deal with Emma Grede.
The brothers attended Bartley Green Secondary School and Brendon was previously a mobile barber while Jaydon worked for fast-food chain McDonald's and even won a Bill Gates Award at school for the person most likely to become a millionaire.
Now based in Halesowen, they started Lumberjaxe in 2020 in their kitchen with just £200 after being inspired by family gatherings centred around their grandad's brick barbecue.
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The product range takes inspiration from American flavours and is made with natural ingredients.
They have secured listings in more than 70 stores, such as garden centres and farm shops, and have reached a turnover of £150,000.
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On last night's show, the regular panel of Deborah Meaden, Peter Jones, Sara Davies, Steven Bartlett and Touker Sulleyman was joined by guest Dragon Emma Grede, the brains behind clothing brand Skims which she co-founded with US TV personality Kim Kardashian.
The Dragons were impressed by the duo's hands-on approach to the business as they both create the recipes and fill their product tins themselves with help from a small team of three support staff.
They also praised their energy and attitude, with Touker Suleyman describing Jaydon as "brilliant".
"You are one of the brightest 21 year olds to enter this Den," he added.
Despite hearing high praise and kind words from five of the panel, only Ms Grede decided to invest, giving the full £90,000 in exchange for the 20 per cent offered by the brothers.
They said their focus now was on expanding their portfolio of retail partners to get their product range into major chains while increasing their online presence.
Jaydon said: "We started this business with a simple goal, to make cooking fun and accessible to everyone. We couldn't be happier with the outcome (in the Den).
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"Emma's investment and mentorship are a game-changer for us. Her support and guidance will help us elevate our brand and make our vision a reality.
"Our goal has always been to cook up good times while bringing people together through food and now, with her backing, we can make sure this goal reaches even more people."
Brendon added: "We've come a long way and are keen to take our business to new heights. The whole experience in the Den was emotional but it confirmed our belief in what we're doing.
"We hope our story can inspire others to take the leap and pursue their passions, no matter where they start."
Ms Grede said: "Brendon and Jaydon are exactly the type of founders I like to back, self-starters with a super clear vision and a best-in-class product.
"The fact they have bought Lumberjaxe this far with so little, aside from ambition and hard graft, tells me everything I need to know.
"We're going to build a food brand that customers will love and enjoy every day with distribution all over the 海角视频 and that's just the beginning."