Dragons den tonight

[Garry]

Someone is pitching a cider homebrew kit on dragons den tonight

[HomeBrewWest]

Just picked this up. Any info? I'd like to see it!

[Garry]

I missed it too; I fell asleep putting the kids to bed  :

I found this review of the show, so they got backing. It doesn't give much info on the entrepreneurs or their product though.

Have you come across them yet?

Last to appear in the den were Alex and Ralph who wanted a £40,000 investment for a 15 per cent share of their cider homebrew company.

But Deborah felt it would be morally wrong to sell something that encouraged youngsters to get drunk cheaply and Piers Linney said it looked like a school project.

However when the Dragons learned that the pair already had a successful company running music festivals, the tide turned for them.

No doubt encouraged by a glass of the  homebrew, Duncan offered them the money for a 25 per cent share of the company, decreasing to 15 per cent if the target profits were achieved.

[HomeBrewWest]

Nope. Its gas; to think we launched 4 top quality ciders without grants or investment.

Was there anything special about their cider?

[Garry]

Just spotted this over on Jim's.

[HomeBrewWest]

Ya, I saw a repeat last night. Another gimmick. Way too expensive for 10 litres of cider.

Looks like its powdered apple concentrate too, and powdered concentrate is always the lowest quality there is.

In other words, twice the price for half the quality. Can't see it working.

[irish_goat]

Watched this last night and I don't think think you should look at it from a homebrew point of view. At most, it could be treated as a very, very entry level homebrew starter but the market those lads were aiming at was the student/gift market and for what it is, it's a pretty easy way to get a box of "homemade" cider. I imagine it's not the tastiest, but then, it doesn't need to be either. Better branding and a bit of advertising pushed out whenever the student loans are paid out and it could be a winner.

Disagree with Deborah Meaden's comment about it being cheap booze, you can pick up a lot of cheap cider in Tesco for a lot less.

[irish_goat]

I see they've expanded to do beer as well.

http://www.victorsdrinks.com/cider/pale-ale/

[HomeBrewWest]

Is it worth stocking these? It works out at close to 2.00 euros a pint or beer / cider . . . . I think it can be bought in a supermarket for less?

[irish_goat]

Is it worth stocking these? It works out at close to 2.00 euros a pint or beer / cider . . . . I think it can be bought in a supermarket for less?

Not sure tbh, I see these as more of a "gadget" gift. Anyone who goes to your site, I imagine, is already interested in homebrewing so would probably go for the basic starter kits, likewise anyone who is looking to buy a present for someone would do the same. Tough call really, maybe ask them for sample kit and see what it even tastes like? If it's not great you might put potential homebrewers off if they buy it and they don't like it.

[brenmurph]

business entrepeneurs dont care if the quality is good or not. the fact that it says "just add water" means itll be a big seller.  Its about selling not a passion for craftsman cider ...however we have to remember dragons den is tv, reality tv but behind the scenes it not really real. some do go on to become partners but i think most dont.
its reaity tv and its about selling adds on tv and the franchise for the show which sells worldwide I guess.

[johnrm]

I know someone from behind the scenes in the funding game week involvement with one the dragons and it is real. They will spin it a bit for TV but there is money and business behind it.
There is a drive on at present from BOI in fact, I have a copy of the elevator pitch, I'll post it here if anyone's interested.

[mr hoppy]

Not to dispute anything johnrm is saying, but this article although it's from the Mirror and a couple of years old gives an alternative perspective on the DD investing process:

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/DRAGONS'+CON%3B+EXCLUSIVE+SUNDAY+Mirror+INVESTIGATES+TV+TYCOONS+SHOW...-a0151489283

A BBC spokesman said: "After the initial agreement is made on camera, both parties enter a period of due diligence. Sometimes during this period the deals fall through."

[johnrm]

Have a spin-off show...
Due Diligence Demons

[mr hoppy]

Been done.

http://marksaccjokes.blogspot.ie/2011/01/loot-with-jason-donovan-as-forensic.html

For some reason it never caught on.