Mr Chew was seeking £50,000 for 20 percent of his condiment company, Mak Tok’s Authentic Chilli Pastes.
As the last season of Dragons’ Den has come to a close, it’s interesting to look over previous years to explore emotional pitches throughout the years.
Mak Tok’s Authentic Chilli Pastes has an estimated net worth of £500,000 today, according to insidergrowth.
Mr Chew was studying abroad and deeply missed his mother’s home cooking. His mother sent him her recipes, and what ingredients he will need to make the food he loved.
After following the instructions and making the sauce, he and his cousin decided to start selling this to make some extra cash.
He explained to the Dragons that he was selling the paste at local farm shops and delis across Yorkshire.
At that time he had managed to sell over 8,000 units of the product.
As he suffered from social anxiety, he wanted the Dragons’ expertise and contacts to market his product as he finds it hard to network and pitch the product to people himself.
The entrepreneur said: “I suffer from social anxiety so I’m not the best person to go out there and talk to people and I’m not great at phoning up people, I get really scared to do that.
“But what I can do is stand in front of people and tell people about my product and my little story.”
Sara Davies wanted to take a chance on Will because she wanted to give him a break due the joy he spread in the Den.
She said: “When I came into the Den, I set myself some clear parameters. This is everything I said that I wouldn’t do.
“There’s loads of chilli pastes but there’s only one Will, and I think you are great. I just, I love you and I really want to make this work with you.”
In tears, she continued: “I just think someone needs to give you that break.”
Her kind words brought Will to tears and fellow Dragon Touker Suleyman who was wiping his eyes.
Despite his courage to pitch to the Dragons, some of the cast could not invest as they were not familiar with the industry and it was deemed “risky”.
Touker believed that Will had the makings of “being a real entrepreneur,” however he explained there are better Dragons’ equipped for business. He said he could not invest and he was out.
Peter Jones said it was “risky” to invest at this stage because an investor would basically have to be running the operation with Will at this point.
Sara offered Will the full £50,000 in return for a third of the business. This was 13 percent higher than what he came in looking for.
Overcome with happiness, he said: “I started my business because of my mum, and she’s always been behind me all the way.
“And without her support and everyone else that’s behind me, I wouldn’t be here today talking to you guys.”
Episodes of Dragons’ Den are available on BBC iPlayer.
