Jollof Box Succeeds in Dalston after Dragons’ Den rejection
“gourmet” African grab ‘ n’ go concept which failed to secure an investment on the hit BBC series Dragons’ Den last year has successfully opened its first permanent store.
Founders Matthew and Sade appeared on Dragons’ Den seeking a £75,000 investment to help expand their Nigerian food brand Jollof Box.
But the mother and son duo have managed to launch in Kingsland Shopping Centre within a year of the disappointing rejection.
“Imagine that 4 months after the Dragons said no, someone higher said: Yes! We got the shop we went on for without any equity investment [ sic],” Jollof Box announced on their Twitter account.
FtLion has also been informed: “All of our meats are sourced by Halal butchers. The restaurant is a grab and go outlet, so while there is some cafe style seating, it’s not a traditional sit down restaurant.”
With the aim of sharing “African cuisine with all communities”, Jollof Box began trading at London’s historic Old Spitalfields Market around 3 years ago and say they have since sold around 100,000 boxes.
The menu is simple enough with dishes named after famous African footballers such as The Drogba, The Yaya, The Kanu, etc.
But it’s their signature dish Jollof Rice, “a sumptuous aromatic celebratory rice dish that mum has been cooking for over 40 years and comes from a closely guarded family recipe passed on from her grandmother”, that is one to look out for. They have also been featured in TimeOut London as “five need-toknow lunch spots in Shoreditch and the City”, with The Boateng box – seasoned black-eyed beans and sweetcorn casserole alongside sweet plantain – being featured and described as “offer[ ing] a diversity of flavours that puts it in the premier league”.
With plenty of vegan options also available, their food can also be ordered for home delivery via Uber Eats.