A natural energy snack brand from Northern Ireland has won over TV’s dragons, securing investment on an episode of BBC One’s Dragons’ Den, which was broadcast last night (March 12).
Oatco Superfuel, a rapidly expanding natural energy brand established by Laura Murphy, received offers from three of the dragons before accepting a substantial investment deal from serial entrepreneur and podcast host, Steven Bartlett.
Bartlett couldn’t help but praise the energy balls he tried during the episode, telling owner Laura, “Your balls are absolutely banging!” Before saying he had checked out the ingredients and was impressed by how healthy they were.
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Laura, who is based in Omagh in Co Tyrone, launched the snack company in 2024 as a direct response to the shortage of functional options that tasted good when searching for a snack on the go. Her pitch captured the interest of three Dragons with the proposal to collaborate with her and provide strategic investment to accelerate growth, expand distribution, and scale the business across the UK and beyond.
Watch the interaction on BBC Dragon’s Den here:
Having already secured retail listings in major supermarkets including Tesco and Spar in Northern Ireland, Laura says the Dragons’ Den appearance represents a pivotal moment for the brand.
“What started as a personal frustration with the limitations of traditional snacking, I wanted to challenge the notion that a 3pm energy slump was part and parcel of the typical workday and set about finding better alternatives that would adequately fuel busy days.
“It was definitely a nerve-wracking experience, but appearing on Dragons’ Den feels like the beginning of a monumental shift for Oatco. I’m so grateful to everyone who has been part of our journey so far.
A delighted Laura on BBC Dragons’ Den(Image: BBC)
“Our small team, who share the same values and mission, the local retailers who have carried our product lines, the team at the Ulster Bank Accelerator hub for providing invaluable insights to the programme, and members of the bank’s commercial team who put us over our numbers and helped me prepare to take on the Dragons.
“I am so proud of the community that has been built around Oatco Superfuel and feel like our hard work is testament to the fact that local companies from NI can absolutely compete against some of the biggest players in the industry and that opportunities need not be limited by geography.”
Laura pictured at an event held on Thursday night hosted at Ulster Bank’s Accelerator Hub, where she participated in a question-and-answer session with the bank’s Accelerator Leader, John Ferris(Image: PressEye)
On the evening of the programme’s initial airing, Laura and her colleagues gathered at a special viewing event hosted at Ulster Bank’s Accelerator Hub, where she participated in a question-and-answer session with the bank’s Accelerator Leader, John Ferris, who remarked:. “We are incredibly proud of Laura and Oatco Superfuel for this significant achievement. Our goal is to empower entrepreneurs to realise their potential, and this success on Dragons’ Den, winning over some of the most high-profile investors, is yet another reflection of the incredible talent and innovative ideas we see amongst our Accelerator participants.”
Entrepreneurs aiming to expand and develop their businesses are urged to express their interest in Ulster Bank’s Entrepreneur Accelerator by downloading and registering on the Accelerator app.
For more information about Oatco Superfuel and to explore the complete selection of products available, visit www.oatco.uk where you can also directly place orders. To stay informed about the brand’s progression, follow @oatcosuperfuel across all social media platforms.
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