Non-alcoholic aperitif brand Mother Root has secured the backing of Steven Bartlett during an appearance on tonight’s (2 October) episode of Dragons’ Den.
Founder Bethan Higson and COO Alice Galsworthy entered the Den looking for £60k in return for a 2% stake in the drinks business.
An impressive pitch led to counter offers from Sara Davies, Deborah Meaden and Steven Bartlett.
Higson and Galsworthy agreed to a deal with Bartlett, settling on a £90k investment for 5% of the business, valuing Mother Root at £1.8m.
The pitch followed the end of a wider fundraising round, bringing in more than £600k from angel investors and existing shareholders, to support a redesign of the Mother Root bottle and scaling the team from two to 12 employees.
“For any business owner, an opportunity like this almost feels surreal,” Higson told The Grocer. “Appearing on the show was an amazing experience and provided an incredible platform for us to not only gain national exposure but share our story directly with some of the UK’s most inspiring business leaders.”
Since launching in 2018, Mother Root has expanded distribution into Waitrose, Ocado and Amazon. The brand has achieved year-to-date sales growth of 180% in 2025, compared with the same period in 2024, already surpassing the £2m generated for the whole of 2024.
“Being part of this journey alongside Bethan and sharing our vision on national television has been a real milestone for Mother Root,’’ Galsworthy added.
“I first discovered Mother Root as a customer and quickly became a fan. So, when the opportunity came to join the business, it felt like a natural step. Going from brand advocate to business leader has been incredibly rewarding. We’re building something with real purpose: a new way of drinking that’s rooted in flavour, ritual and feeling good, without compromise.”
Higson, who has a decade of experience in the wine industry, was inspired to create Mother Root during her first pregnancy. The premium, non-alcoholic aperitif brand is made using all-natural ingredients, including apple cider vinegar, organic ginger juice and ginger extract.
“Mother Root is on a mission to redefine what it means to drink well and feel good,” Higson said. “We want Mother Root to be everyone’s favourite end-of-the-day ritual – one that’s full of flavour.
Mother Root continues the run of fmcg brands securing investment on the 22nd series of BBC One’s Dragons’ Den, with the likes of Seep, Love Sum, Little’s, Doughboys Pizza and Dot Dot Bubble Tea all walking away with a deal earlier this year.
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