BBC Dragons’ Den entrepreneurs from Halesowen secure second supermarket listing

A brace of brothers who wowed the Dragons' Den panel with their range of seasonings have secured their second major supermarket listing.

Brendon and Jaydon Manders, who co-founded and run Halesowen-based Lumberjaxe, are now supplying their products to 325 Asda stores and have also doubled the number of independents stocking their range.

This latest news adds to the deal they struck last year to supply Aldi and they have also created new jobs for a full-time sales manager and operations assistant.

Brendon and Jaydon make a range of all-natural barbecue seasonings and sauces with no preservatives, designed for use in ovens, air fryers and on traditional barbecue grills.

They founded their company during the covid lockdowns in 2020 in their mother's kitchen in Birmingham, starting with just £100 each, and were inspired by memories of family barbecues as children.

They appeared on hit BBC show Dragons' Den last year where they secured £90,000 in exchange for 20 per cent equity from Emma Grede, the co-founder of denim company Good American and shapewear clothing brand Skims.

Jaydon said: "The future is very exciting for Lumberjaxe. We have now demonstrated that we can successfully work with major retailers, we have grown our team and we have significantly increased our retail footprint.

"We are focused on building on that momentum and continuing to grow both our independent and national retail presence."

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Last year, the duo also received £100,000 in funding from Wolverhampton-based BCRS Business Loans and the Community Investment Enterprise Fund to support the delivery of the contract with Aldi.

The funding enabled them to supply 80,000 units of their Backyard BBQ and Moonshine Mango sauces to 1,050 Aldi stores across the UK.

Lumberjaxe's products are also stocked by Ocado, Selfridges and more than 500 independent farm shops, butchers and garden centres.

Jaydon said: "It is great to look back at what we have achieved since receiving the £100,000 funding from BCRS as it has made a real difference to the business over the past year.

"The funding was particularly important because it enabled us to fulfil a £250,000 contract with Aldi which gave us a significant platform for the business.

"It was not simply about helping us fulfil one contract, it gave us the financial backing to take the business forward and create further opportunities."

BCRS' senior business development manager Louise Armstrong added: "We are proud to see the success Brendon and Jaydon have made of scaling up their business since securing a loan with BCRS.

"The Aldi opportunity was a major milestone for them and securing the permanent Asda listing has given Lumberjaxe another strong platform for growth. The brothers epitomise the entrepreneurial spirit that drives success in the West Midlands."