Dragons’ Den entrepreneurs secure second major supermarket listing following business loan support
A flourishing barbecue seasoning and sauce company has secured its second major supermarket listing one year on from receiving funds from community lender BCRS Business Loans.
In 2025 Birmingham-based Lumberjaxe, who gained national attention when they appeared on BBC TV show Dragons’ Den, received £100,000 in funding from BCRS Business Loans and the Community Investment Enterprise Fund (CIEF) to support the delivery of a major contract with supermarket giant Aldi.
The funding enabled brothers Brendon and Jaydon Manders to supply 80,000 units of their Backyard BBQ and Moonshine Mango sauces to go in the special buy offer at 1,050 Aldi stores across the UK.
Since then, Lumberjaxe has gone on to secure a permanent listing with Asda across 325 stores and double the number of independent stores stocking its brand. The company now employs a full-time sales manager and a full-time operations assistant.
Having founded Lumberjaxe in 2020 during the Covid-19 lockdown with just £100 each, Brendon and Jaydon have grown their business rapidly since starting out in their mother’s council house kitchen in Quinton, Birmingham.
The company creates all-natural seasonings and sauces with no preservatives, designed for use in ovens, air fryers and traditional barbecue grills.
The Birmingham-born entrepreneurs gained national recognition when they appeared on BBC One’s Dragons’ Den in February 2025, securing a £90,000 investment from guest Dragon Emma Grede in exchange for 20% equity.
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.
“We approached a number of mainstream banks for finance, but none were able to provide the funding we needed within the timeframe. Without the BCRS loan, we would have been in danger of losing the contract.
“Looking back, the impact of the funding has probably been greater than we originally anticipated. 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.”
Today, Lumberjaxe seasonings and sauces are stocked in Asda, Ocado, Selfridges and more than 500 independent farm shops, butchers and garden centres. Products are also available via Lumberjaxe’s website to customers across the UK and internationally.
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, which enables us to focus on our mission of getting the country ‘cookin’ up good times’.
“We are focused on building on that momentum and continuing to grow both our independent and national retail presence.”
Offering advice to other businesses, he added: “Do not be afraid to look beyond the traditional banks if they are not able to support what you’re trying to achieve.
“We had a significant opportunity in front of us with Aldi, but without the right funding at the right time, we simply would not have been able to take it. BCRS understood what we were trying to achieve and gave us the funding and support to make it happen.
“For a growing business, having access to finance when you need it can be the difference between taking an opportunity and having to walk away from it.”
BCRS Business Loans senior business development manager Louise Armstrong said: “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, and their story is a great illustration of the role that a BCRS business loan can play in supporting the growth of a small business and generating employment opportunities.”