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5 Dragons’ Den companies to know this week: Whering app, Let’s Sanitise, Caribe coffee and more
A stylish walking cane company and a savoury snack bar business also sought investment
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Your support makes all the difference.From a digital wardrobe app to a stylish walking stick company, we saw a number of founders show off their wares on Dragons’ Den tonight.
But despite some compliments getting thrown around and a deal getting super close to the line for a Honduras coffee company, it was only to be for one pair of likeable entrepreneurs and their hand sanitiser business, who caught the eye of Peter Jones and Touker Suleyman.
Let’s Sanitise and Caribe aren’t the first skincare or coffee businesses to enter the den this series. Last month, Annie Mitchell successfully walked away with an injection of cash into her cold brew business, and at the start of March, Hannah Saunders’s baby skincare company reined supreme in the den, receiving three offers from the fearsome five.
If you missed last week’s episode and want a quick run-down of the start-ups featured in the show, which included an immersive detective board game, a fresh chocolate company and a book subscription box written by women, have a read of our episode 10 Dragons’ Den company recap.
But if it’s a wardrobe-focused app or even just some healthy savoury snack bars you’re interested in, then we’ve got you covered here too. We’ve rounded up everything you need to know about this week’s businesses and where you can buy (or download) their products below.
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Whering app: Whering.co.uk
One of the most intriguing start-ups shown off in the den tonight was the Whering app, founded by ex-banker Bianca Rangecroft. Think Cher’s closet in Clueless. Although the dragons were impressed with the South African entrepreneur, it was potentially too risky for them to invest in the company itself.
Whering is essentially a digital wardrobe which houses all of your clothes, making it easier to plan outfits in advance. You snap pics of each garment, the app tags and crops it, and you’re able to swipe through and browse your whole wardrobe for easy browsing.
If you’re feeling uninspired, Whering’s AI can do the work for you and suggest an outfit for a specific occasion. Gaps in your wardrobe can be filled with Whering’s pre-loved marketplace, and if you’ve got an issue with one of your garbs, there are “caring partners” available who can mend or clean your favourite item.
Caribe coffee co: Caribecoffeeco.com
Despite receiving an offer from Peter Jones, Wilmer and Elle Carcamo, founders of a Honduran coffee company, decided to walk away from the den without any investment or a name change. Sorry, Peter Jones, it’s not called Wilmer’s. Stop trying to make Wilmer’s happen.
Caribe coffee co. sell a range of specialty freshly roasted coffee beans, imported directly from local farmers in Honduras. The best-selling product is the Copan speciality high-grown coffee (£7.25, Caribecoffeeco.com), which has smoky, chocolate and caramel notes. There are refillable options, 1kg bags and a variety of grind types available.
Let’s Sanitise hand care: Letssanitise.com
For a minute there, it looked like it was going to be a sad strut out of the den for serial entrepreneurs Josh Cummins and Lee Hoppen, but at the very last second, Cummins pulled it out of the bag and convinced Peter Jones to change his mind, seeing both Jones and Suleyman invest in the pair’s hand care company.
Let’s Sanitise is a business born out of the pandemic. It sells vegan hand sanitiser in both gel and mist form, and recently launched scented hand wash and hand lotion. The company is currently running a Dragons’ Den promotion on its website, with some of its products up to 50 per cent off. One deal is a pack of three mini fruity mist hand sanitiser sprays (Was £14.99, now £11.99, Letssanitise.com).
Neo-Walk: Neo-walk.com
Though she inspired the dragons with her tale of how exactly the business came to be, Lyndsay Watterson’s stylish walking cane company was ultimately unsuccessful in securing backing from the investors.
Neo-Walk makes acrylic walking stick mobility aids in a variety of different styles, colours and patterns, and even sells light-up models for any occasion. There are also more discreet versions for those less funky-inclined, like the clear curved walking stick (£45, Neo-walk.com) or the “And the winner is...” walking stick (£89.99, Neo-walk.com) for nights out.
The Savourists: Thesavourists.com
Toe-tapping Savourists founder, Harry Turpin, was relegated to the montage slot in this week’s episode of Dragons’ Den, pitching healthy savoury snack bars to the investors, but sadly danced away out of the den without any backers.
The Savourists produce a range of plant-based snack bars, filled with puffed rice, lentils, seeds and ancient grains, coming in three different flavours and in packs of 12 x 30g bars.
There’s spicy chilli sriracha ( £19.99, Thesavourists.com), classic smoky barbecue (£19.99, Thesavourists.com) and black olive and nori seaweed (£19.99, Thesavourists.com). The company also sells a taster pack with all three bars inside (£5.99, Thesavourists.com). The variety pack can be bought on Amazon as well for slightly cheaper (£5.20, Amazon.co.uk).
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Curious about the fresh chocolate company seen in episode 10 or Fussy’s eco-friendly refillable deodorant in episode eight? Check out our previous Dragons’ Den company round-ups for all the gossip