A Manchester rum company is set to appear on TV in BBC's Dragons' Den.
Owner of Rockstar Spirits, Thomas Hurst, will pitch his range of premium spiced rums to the business moguls in Thursday night's episode.
The 45-year-old launched the brand in October 2018 when he waved goodbye to a 20-year corporate career in the drinks industry, with the likes of William Grants and Majestic Wine.
Following the death of his mother two years earlier, it caused Tom to reevaluate his life, deciding it was time to do something for himself.
He made his first batch of rum at his home in Worsley. And now, the drink has gone on to be stocked in Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Amazon, Selfridges, and is currently in the process of launching across Australia and France.
“I don’t think I’ve been as nervous since I had to do a reading in assembly when I was 11," Tom said about appearing on the show.
"I had to take a few really big deep breaths in the lift to calm down before stepping out to do the pitch.
“It was fantastic experience to take part in the show and a great rite of passage for any entrepreneur to test their mettle against some of the best business brains in the UK.”
The father-of-two credits his "big break" as when their first release - 65 per cent Pineapple Grenade Rum - was featured on This Morning.
Presenters Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield sampled the drink and loved it, resulting in the product selling out on Amazon within an hour.
At the time of his flagship drink appearing on the ITV show in 2019, Tom told the M.E.N it felt like "scoring a goal at Wembley".
He says what sets his rum apart from anything else on the market is the quality and mix of ingredients.
Going from strength to strength, there are now seven rums in Rockstar Spirits' portfolio, including flavours Banana Bomb, Two Swallows Citrus & Salted Caramel, and Captain Webbs Two Swallows Cherry.
You can find out how Tom got on when the episode airs on Thursday, June 8 at 8pm on BBC One.
