A Leicester-based company which makes children’s books with a difference has secured investment to grow the business after appearing on the BBC One hit series Dragons’ Den.
Willsow Books supplies books that once children have finished reading them they can cut off the back cover and pant them.
Each book tells the story of a vegetable or a herb and the back cover is impregnated with 500 seeds that grow into carrots, parsley, dill, basil or lettuce. The books retail for £9.99.
Company founder Tom Willday and business partner James Coulthurst pitched the product in the Den, and Dragon Sara Davies agreed to put £20,000 into the business for a 15% stake.
“It’s a unique concept. I’ve never seen or heard of anything like this before, so it seems like a great idea,” said Sara.
James Coulthurst said in his pitch: “As soon as we got the book into people’s hands we knew it would be a success so we set out to sell to as many garden centres and gift shops as we could.”
The business partners accepted Sara’s offer after she reduced her demand for 20% of the company to 15%, beating off fellow Dragons Peter Jones and Deborah Meaden, who also wanted 20%.
Tom Willday and James Coulthurst can be seen entering the Dragons’ Den in BBC iplayer at
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000w81f/dragons-den-series-18-episode-8. Their pitch begins 30 minutes into the programme.