The owners of North East protein snack firm Oatein have emerged from the Dragons’ Den with a £50,000 investment. The founders of Oatein – John Paul Gardner and Andy Dixon – stepped into the UK’s most fearsome business environment on BBC Two in a bid to deliver what they hoped would be a winning pitch to the serial entrepreneurs. The pair, who first met in the boxing ring, set up the Whitley Bay-based firm in 2016 with a mission to take on the healthy snack market, producing a growing range of protein-fuelled snacks.The firm began by producing its flagship flapjack which combines healthy, slow energy release protein and oats and since has gone on to produce a wide range of products including brownies, protein bars, cookies and peanut butters in a variety of flavours which provide the health benefits of complex carbs, fibre and additional protein.More than 2.5m bars, flapjacks and cookies have since been sold in supermarkets, pharmacies and specialty health outlets in around 60 countries worldwide – with exports accounting for 90% of turnover.Making one of the quickest decisions seen in the den, the pair agreed to partner with Mr Jones, who has acquired 20% of the business for £50,000.
