You know the name from the sauce, but Levi Roots’ path from reggae stages to supermarket shelves is a story of timing, hustle, and a single, unforgettable television pitch. In 2007, he walked into the Dragons’ Den with a bottle of his own barbecue sauce and walked out with the kind of deal that changes a life.

Net worth estimate: £30–35 million ·
Dragons’ Den deal: £50,000 for 40% equity (2007) ·
Product launched: Reggae Reggae Sauce ·
Children: 8 (from 7 mothers)

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Exact current net worth — estimates vary between £30 million and £35 million (MyLondon)
  • Current status of relationship with daughter Joanne Caesar (Evening Standard)
  • Whether Peter Jones holds any equity post-2019 company sale (Wikipedia)
3Timeline signal
  • 1958–2007: Music career, then Dragons’ Den pitch (Wikipedia)
  • 2007–2015: Rapid retail expansion across UK supermarkets (Wikipedia)
  • 2017–2019: Financial losses, brand sold to investment group (Wikipedia)
4What’s next

Six key facts, one pattern: Levi Roots built a food empire from a single grandmother’s recipe, but the numbers tell a more complex story of rapid rise, correction, and reinvention.

Attribute Value
Full name Keith Valentine Graham (professionally known as Levi Roots)
Date of birth 24 June 1958
Age 66 (as of 2024)
Occupation Businessman, celebrity chef, musician
Notable product Reggae Reggae Sauce
Net worth estimate £30–35 million

How did Levi Roots make his money?

From reggae singer to sauce entrepreneur

  • Before the sauce, Roots performed with James Brown and Maxi Priest, and was nominated for a MOBO Award for Best Reggae Act in 1998 (Celebrity Net Worth).
  • His grandmother taught him flavour mixing from a young age; the sauce recipe came directly from her (Metro).
  • He initially produced the sauce in a small kitchen and sold it at music festivals and Notting Hill Carnival.

His Dragons’ Den pitch in 2007

  • Roots appeared on the fourth series of BBC’s Dragons’ Den, asking for £25,000 for 25% equity (Wikipedia).
  • He secured £50,000 from Peter Jones and Richard Farleigh in exchange for 40% of the business (Evening Standard).
  • He told the Evening Standard that his children pushed him to go on the show: “I went on Dragons’ Den because my kids told me not to.”

Building the Reggae Reggae Sauce brand

  • Within months of the deal, the sauce was stocked in over 1,000 Sainsbury’s stores (Wikipedia).
  • By 2008, Roots told The Telegraph he estimated his wealth at around £8 million.
  • By 2015, the brand had expanded to multiple major UK retailers, becoming a household name in the barbecue and marinade category.
Bottom line: Levi Roots turned a family recipe and a single television pitch into a multimillion-pound retail brand. The Dragons’ Den deal gave him market access, but his existing music-festival distribution network gave him credibility with early adopters.

How much is Levi Roots worth?

Current net worth estimates

  • Public estimates commonly cluster around £30 million, with the Metro citing the Sunday Times Rich List at that figure in a 2026 profile.
  • A 2024 profile from MyLondon also states a net worth of £35 million.
  • In contrast, Celebrity Net Worth reports a more conservative £5–10 million range, reflecting the gap between peak valuation and post-sale reality.

How his valuation changed after Dragons’ Den

  • In 2008, Roots himself told The Telegraph he felt his wealth was about £8 million.
  • His business peaked around 2010, then faced a downturn. The company reported losses in 2017, leading to an ownership restructure.
  • In 2019, Roots sold a majority stake in the brand to an investment group, ending his direct operational involvement (though he remains a brand ambassador).
The trade-off

Roots turned a £8 million personal valuation in 2008 into a reported £30–35 million brand at sale in 2019 — but at the cost of losing majority control. For any founder scaling via television investment, the pattern is clear: equity dilution for distribution.

Is Peter Jones still involved with Levi Roots?

The original investment

  • Peter Jones invested as part of the Dragons’ Den deal in 2007, providing £50,000 alongside Richard Farleigh for 40% equity (Evening Standard).
  • Jones remained a director of the company until at least 2019, according to public records.

Current relationship status

  • The brand was sold to an investment group in 2019. Jones is no longer directly involved operationally (Wikipedia).
  • As of 2024, it is unclear whether Jones retains any residual equity from the 2019 sale — no public filings confirm his current stake.
  • The relationship soured somewhat; Roots has made public comments suggesting he felt the Dragons took too much equity for the initial investment.
Bottom line: Peter Jones backed Levi Roots at the peak of his visibility, but the 2019 sale ended the operational partnership. For entrepreneurs watching, the lesson is that Dragons’ Den investments are typically liquidity events, not lifelong partnerships.

Who is Levi Roots’ missing daughter?

Joanne Caesar story

  • Joanne Caesar is Levi Roots’ daughter, from a relationship before his fame (Evening Standard).
  • Roots publicly sought to reconnect with her, expressing regret about their estrangement in multiple interviews.
  • No confirmed public reunion details have been disclosed as of 2024.

Public statements by Roots

  • Roots has spoken about his regret over the estrangement, saying he made mistakes as a younger man that he wishes he could undo.
  • The story became widely searched after Roots’ appearances on Celebrity Big Brother in 2024, where family topics were discussed.
Why this matters

For a public figure whose brand is built on family heritage and a grandmother’s recipe, the estrangement from his own daughter creates a human tension that no marketing campaign can fix. Roots’ public acknowledgment of this regret signals a shift toward accountability, even if the relationship remains unresolved.

Is Levi Roots his real name?

His birth name

  • His legal birth name is Keith Valentine Graham (Wikipedia).
  • He was born on 24 June 1958 in London to Jamaican parents, and later spent time in Jamaica.

Why he adopted the stage name

  • He adopted the stage name ‘Levi Roots’ during his music career — ‘Levi’ from the biblical figure, ‘Roots’ from his Rastafarian faith and reggae roots.
  • The name is a professional alias, not a legal name change. His legal documents remain under Keith Valentine Graham.
  • This is common among reggae and dancehall artists, where stage names often reflect spiritual or cultural identity.

Timeline

  • 24 June 1958: Born in London to Jamaican parents.
  • 1990s: Music career active; nominated for MOBO Award (1998) for Best Reggae Singer (Celebrity Net Worth).
  • 2007: Appears on BBC’s Dragons’ Den, secures £50,000 investment for Reggae Reggae Sauce (Evening Standard).
  • 2008–2015: Rapid expansion into major UK supermarkets.
  • 2017: Company reports losses; ownership restructured.
  • 2019: Sells majority stake in the brand to an investment group.
  • 2024: Still active as a public figure, musician, and brand ambassador.
Additional sources

mediaroar.uk, newstatesman.com, lsfellowship.missouri.edu, mirror.co.uk, reefwatch.net

Frequently asked questions

What is Levi Roots’ real name?

His real name is Keith Valentine Graham. He adopted ‘Levi Roots’ as a professional stage name.

How did Levi Roots become famous?

He became famous after appearing on Dragons’ Den in 2007 pitching his Reggae Reggae Sauce, which secured a £50,000 investment.

What products does Levi Roots sell?

His main product is Reggae Reggae Sauce, a Caribbean-style barbecue and marinade sauce. He also sells a range of related condiments, seasonings, and ready meals.

Does Levi Roots have a wife?

Levi Roots has not publicly disclosed a current wife. He has been in relationships with multiple women and is the father of eight children from seven mothers.

How old is Levi Roots?

He was born on 24 June 1958, making him 66 years old as of 2024.

Is Levi Roots still a musician?

Yes, he continues to perform reggae music and has maintained an active music career alongside his food business.

Where can I buy Reggae Reggae Sauce?

Reggae Reggae Sauce is widely available in UK supermarkets including Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Asda, and Morrisons, as well as online retailers.

“My grandmother taught me the old-time ways of cooking in Jamaica. She never wrote anything down — it was all in her head.”

— Levi Roots, speaking to Quids in Magazine (2024) on his culinary heritage

“When I tasted it, I knew this was something special. It had passion in a bottle.”

— Peter Jones, explaining his decision to invest on Dragons’ Den (2007)

Levi Roots journey from reggae singer to sauce entrepreneur shows how a single product and a compelling story can unlock doors — but also how rapid success can create complications. For any UK food founder watching, the pattern is clear: a strong family recipe and a television pitch can get you into the supermarket, but equity decisions made in the Den can follow you for decades. The real question is how much of your brand you’re willing to give up for shelf space.