The owner of a Dales family business has revealed what happened next after her appearance on BBC show Dragons’ Den.
The episode featuring Hawes-based Fearne and Rosie founder Rachel Kettlewell was screened on BBC One on Thursday.
The show gives budding entrepreneurs three minutes to pitch their business ideas to five multimillionaires who are willing to invest their own cash.
In last week’s episode, Rachel is offered a deal by vitamin entrepreneur Tej Lalvani.
The businessman offered her all the money she wanted in return for a 30 per cent stake in the business, on the condition he got all his money back within 18 months.
On receiving the offer, viewers see the mother of two break into tears.
In a podcast recorded before the show aired last week, Rachel said: “I held it together until I got the deal. It was a really nerve-wrecking experienced and the second Tej said ‘I’m going to make you an offer’ I just burst into tears.
“I honestly don’t know what happened after that. I was really crying and I was just thinking ‘get me out of this room’.”
Rachel said for the filming she had been in the room with the dragons for two hours, despite viewers only seeing around 30 minutes of footage.
“It was quite a stressful experience just standing there, but also when you’ve worked so hard on a business that you care so much about to have someone like Tej say they think it’s a good idea and they want to work with you is something I’m incredibly proud of.”
Rachel revealed that discussions took place after the show was aired and ultimately no deal was struck with the dragon.
“I just don’t think it was the right thing for our business.
“One of the things that I was talking about when I was in there was that one of things I wanted as a next step for our business was that mentorships and support.
“It wasn’t the financial support that we needed as a business at that point. It was absolutely amicable.”
However the business continues to go from strength to strength.
Rachel said that after the show had been filmed she initially took a sabbatical from her job as a teacher and then resigned to concentrate on the business full-time.
She has also begun working with food and beverage industry expert Giles Brook and has made a number of changes including a rebrand of the products.
The company has also recently announced new products in Waitrose, Ocado and some Yorkshire Morrisons stores.
Fearne and Rosie was launched in 2018 and make reduced sugar jams and preserves aimed at children.
