Flavour Bombs raises £50k pre-seed with Peter Jones to reach supermarket shelves
This article covers Flavour Bombs, a foodtech startup, which has closed a £50,000 pre-seed funding round led by Peter Jones following an appearance on BBC One's Dragons' Den. The investment and investor partnership aim to support the startup's efforts to convert TV and social traction into supermarket distribution, targeting consumers and retail buyers in the UK food sector.
Flavour Bombs, the TikTok-born food brand best known for its ready-to-use meal bases that dissolve in the pan, has closed a £50,000 pre-seed funding round with investment from Peter Jones following an appearance on BBC One’s Dragons' Den. The deal matters because it combines TV exposure, social commerce traction and a route to supermarkets—three common but difficult-to-join paths for consumer food businesses.
Why it matters
Consumer packaged goods remain a tough category for early-stage investors: margins are thin, distribution is hard to win and product quality must translate at scale. Flavour Bombs’ Den appearance crystallises how founders are increasingly using short-form social video to test demand and reach buyers before raising institutional money. A successful tie-up with a high-profile investor experienced in grocery listings could accelerate negotiations with retailers and bring the operational know-how these founders lack.
Inside the product
Flavour Bombs sells single-use, concentrated meal bases designed to simplify otherwise complex global recipes. Each ball contains a mix of spices and aromatics intended to remove the need for partial jars of herbs or leftover ingredients. The founders say the product turns kitchen experimentation into a quicker, more repeatable cooking experience.
The brand launched with a small budget: the founders reported initial spending of about £300, launching on TikTok and receiving hundreds of orders within days and roughly 300,000 views. The company also says it reached six-figure revenue with no external team and reinvested all early profits back into the business.
Who are the investors?
Peter Jones, best known for taking brands such as Levi Roots to retail, led the round with a £50,000 investment. On-air he framed his offer around both product quality and commercial potential.
Peter Jones, Dragon on Dragons' Den, said:
Without a doubt it passes the taste test. It’s really, REALLY good. The reason I’ve been quite quiet is because I know this market better than anybody, and I do feel like it’s really really challenging. But, what got me is when you said you want a big business. It was a great question from Gary, and I think it could be big, if you get this right!
I’m going to make you an offer, but it does come at a price. I’m going to offer you all of the money, £50K, but I’d like to be an equal partner with you, all of the money, for a third of the business
On negotiation, the founders agreed terms with Jones that reduced his equity stake to 25% with a condition that his share would not be diluted in future raises.
Other Dragons made competing offers during the broadcast but did not complete investments. Gary Neville offered the full amount for 20% and emphasised product quality on camera.
Gary Neville, Dragon on Dragons' Den, said:
That tastes REALLY good. That’s the most important thing, when creating a food product - does it actually taste good? And it DOES!
Touker Suleyman questioned the founders’ preparedness for the costs of scaling a physical product and urged tighter commercial planning.
Touker Suleyman, Dragon on Dragons' Den, said:
honestly i think you're great but you’ve come in here unprepared for what it costs to launch a product like this in the open world
Deborah Meaden declined to invest, citing a lack of fit with her portfolio.
If you're researching potential backers in this space:
- Explore our list of foodtech venture capital firms in the UK
- Browse our directory of foodtech angel investors in the UK
Founder perspective
Tina Faghihi-Hallam, co-founder of Flavour Bombs, described the reaction in the den as both validating and emotional.
Tina Faghihi-Hallam, co-founder at Flavour Bombs, said:
We had absolutely no idea how the Dragons were going to react. So when we got three offers, we were completely ecstatic, especially when Gary made an offer so quickly. It was emotional, overwhelming and incredibly validating.
Tina Faghihi-Hallam, co-founder at Flavour Bombs, said:
We’ve got massive ambitions to go nationwide and global. Peter has taken brands like Levi Roots from kitchen tables to supermarket shelves, and he understands buyers and scale better than anyone. We wanted a Dragon who could bring expertise, contacts and real strategic support - not just the investment.
Tina Faghihi-Hallam, co-founder at Flavour Bombs, said:
We reached six figures with basically no budget, no team and no safety net. Everything we made went straight back into the business. It’s been intense, but it’s proven the demand is there.
The founders pitched that Jones’ retail experience and buyer relationships were a core reason for choosing his offer over competing proposals.
The bigger picture
The episode underlines several trends: the effectiveness of TikTok for demand validation in food, the continued role of TV platforms as shortcuts to consumer awareness, and the ongoing importance of retail distribution for food startups. Peter Jones’ involvement echoes previous exits where kitchen-table brands were scaled into supermarket lines, a reminder that category knowledge and buyer access remain decisive advantages for consumer investors.
For the UK foodtech scene, the deal is a small but illustrative example of how founders are hybridising direct-to-consumer traction with traditional retail ambitions. If Flavour Bombs can convert TV and social attention into repeat purchases at scale, it will offer a case study for other founders navigating the jump from viral product to supermarket shelf.
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