A Meaford family will be appearing on CBC’s Dragon’s Den on November 30, seeking investment for its probiotic soda pop, Gingerbug. The Silk family, who sold their first mason jar of ginger beer at the Meaford Farmer’s Market, is hoping to raise capital and gain a partner to support Gingerbug’s recent national expansion.
“I think we have seen every single episode of Dragon’s Den since the first season it aired,” said Gingerbug co-founder Megan Silk, whose company now manufactures its beverage in Owen Sound. “It was a huge moment for us when we got the call from the producers, letting us know we had been chosen to pitch on the show.”
Gingerbug, which was launched in 2022, quickly attracted the attention of retail buyers from across the country, sparking rapid growth and national retail distribution, just one year from its launch.
“Gingerbug has more or less taken on a life of its own, and as a team, we have been just doing our best to keep up,” explained Silk, who along with co-founder Bren Silk had no previous industry experience. “Gut-friendly products are right on trend, and we suspect Gingerbug’s early success is in large part due to consumers wanting to improve gut health and reduce sugar consumption.”
While the Gingerbug team knows the outcome of the pitch, the team will see the episode for the first time when the rest of the country does.
“We were in the Den for well over an hour,” said Silk, “but the televised pitch will be edited down to just eight minutes.” As a fifth-generation Grey County resident, Silk says the support they have received from this region has been incredible. “We would not be here today had the community not rallied around us and cheered us on from day one. We are so grateful to everyone for all of the support during our first year in business, and we hope to make the residents of this region proud.”
The episode, which airs on November 30 at 8 p.m., can be viewed on CBC Television or streamed for free on CBC Gem.
Gingerbug Brewing Company Inc. was founded in 2022 on a family farm in Meaford. Gingerbug aims to produce approachable non-alcoholic fermented beverages that anyone can enjoy as a healthy alternative to mainstream soda pop.
