A pair of childhood sweethearts who were reunited after a painful split have gone into business together and secured a £50,000 investment on Dragons’ Den.
Kathryn and Chris Baldrey-Chourio parted ways after striking up a teenage romance but eventually got back together when Chris, a soldier, called her just before embarking on his final mission in Afghanistan.
Together the couple, who are now married, dreamed up their idea for a children’s cutlery business and set about making their vision a reality by going into business together.
Kathryn, a former primary school teacher, was the brains behind the special knives and forks which help children to eat their food properly and teach them table ‘etiquette’.
Former childhood sweethearts Kathryn and Chris Baldrey-Chourio have gone into business together and secured a £50,000 investment after appearing on BBC’s Dragons’ Den
Appearing on the series finale of BBC Two’s Dragon’s Den on Sunday night, the couple pitched their idea to Deborah Meaden, Peter Jones, Touker Suleyman, Tej Lalvani and Jenny Campbell.
To their delight, fashion tycoon Touker Suleyman offered them a £50,000 investment for a 30 per cent share of their business.
Chris also opened up on the couple’s tangled past, telling the Dragons how their lives had ‘separated and come together’ over the years.
Recalling their emotional reunion, he said: ‘I phoned Kathryn when I was in Afghanistan and told her, look, we just need to get our lives back on track and get back together.’
Moment of truth: The couple pitched their idea to Deborah Meaden, Peter Jones, Touker Suleyman, Tej Lalvani and Jenny Campbell
Fashion tycoon Touker Suleyman (pictured) was suitably impressed, and offered the couple a £50,000 investment for a 30 per cent share of their business
During the show, Chris opened up on the couple’s tangled past, telling the Dragons how their lives had ‘separated and come together’ over the years
When Peter Jones asked what had inspired him to phone her, he added: ‘I served in Helmand Province. We were about to come home, and were told we had one last stop to go on.
‘I just felt that my life was suddenly put into perspective and I felt that I needed to change certain things when I got home.’
They are now parents to Freddie, six and Jess, 15.
The couple’s cutlery sets retail at £19.99 and are aimed at four- to five-year-olds who are about to start school and don’t know how to coordinate a knife and fork.
The couple’s cutlery sets retail at £19.99 and are aimed at four- to five-year-olds who are about to start school and don’t know how to coordinate a knife and fork
Chris said: ‘The funniest thing for us in this whole experience is realising that there are many adults who don’t know how to use cutlery correctly.’
Explaining the inspiration behind the business, Kathryn said: ‘Returning to teaching after having my son, I found myself trying to get children in a class of 30 to eat a hot meal with a knife and fork at lunchtime.
‘Only two children had an idea how to hold and use the cutlery. Lunchtime quickly became the most stressful hour in the day!
‘As a teacher, I have used pencil grips, training scissors and easy grip rulers, yet there was no cutlery out there that works this way.’
Kathryn, a former primary school teacher, was the brains behind the special knives and forks which help children to eat their food properly and teach them table ‘etiquette’
Kathryn said of her lightbulb moment: ‘Returning to teaching after having my son, I found myself trying to get children in a class of 30 to eat a hot meal with a knife and fork at lunchtime’
Kathryn created prototypes using clay to mould handles that were easy to hold and ensured the cutlery was the right way round.
Once the design was perfected, she and Chris sourced manufacturers and set about gauging interest through crowdfunding so they could confidently bring the cutlery to market.
Despite already being available to buy, the couple hoped their Dragons’ Den pitch for investment could take the company into the big league.
Kathryn explained: ‘We went into the den very soon after we launched, so we were very nervous about the reaction we would get from the dragons.
Kathryn (pictured with son Freddie) sourced manufacturers and set about gauging interest through crowdfunding so they could confidently bring the cutlery to market
Despite their cutlery (pictured) already being available to buy, the couple hoped their Dragons’ Den pitch for investment could take the company into the big league
‘It was an amazing experience, especially to do as a couple. I joked beforehand that if I got nervous I would imagine the dragons were all five years old and I was back in the classroom, but nothing can actually prepare you for the moment the lift doors open.’
Following their grilling from the panel of business magnate, the future for their company, Nana’s Manners, looks bright.
Kathryn added: ‘Nana’s Manners had an amazing launch this summer with a great response to our knife and fork from parents, teachers, childcare professionals and, most importantly, kids themselves.
‘We want to go on to produce many more simple and effective products for children because the best way to build kids’ confidence is to help them learn independently.’