Baker to blossom after Dragon invests €200,000

A wealthy Dragon has placed his faith in an unlikely entrepreneur after injecting €200,000 in the bakery business.

Sean O’Sullivan’s investment in Cherry Blossom Bakery, Castlebar, Co Mayo, is the largest amount ever pledged in the Dragon’s Den series.

What makes the story all the more incredible is the fact that the bakery was founded by a former plasterer, Simon Stenson and his wife, Siobhán.

Simon and a number of buddies in the construction trades took to baking after the building sector collapsed.

Now their bakery, which employs 15 people, supplies bakery products to supermarkets and smaller retail outlets all over Ireland and Britain.

And traditional brown bread from the Cherry Blossom ovens was presented to President Barack Obama by Taoiseach Enda Kenny during his visit to Washington on St Patrick’s Day in March.

Last night — in the last programme of the current series — Simon was supported by Dragon O’Sullivan to the massive tune of €200,000.

“This is just amazing”, said the 39-year-old. “With Sean’s money we plan to expand our plant in Castlebar and take on more workers.”