Brendon and Jaydon Manders, the Birmingham-born brothers behind barbecue seasoning and sauce products Lumberjaxe who featured in the popular series this year, will speak about their progress at the lunchtime event which brings together leading business professionals from across the West Midlands.
Tickets are now available for the networking lunch which will be held at the Molineux Stadium on Waterloo Road, Wolverhampton, on Wednesday September 24.
Brendon and Jaydon secured a £90,000 investment from guest Dragon and business powerhouse Emma Grede having launched the business from their mother’s council house kitchen with just £100 each in 2020. They have also recently secured funds through BCRS Business Loans.
Today, Lumberjaxe products are stocked in more than 250 UK retailers, including Selfridges, Ocado, and Aldi.
At the ticket-only event, the brothers will explain how they turned setbacks into stepping stones, sharing practical insights into how they became investment-ready and cultivated a growth mindset that transformed their humble beginnings into a thriving business venture.
Celebrating its 10th year, Black Country Diners Club has become one of the West Midlands’ most popular annual networking events, attracting business leaders from across the region for a two-course lunch.
BCRS Business Loans Chief Executive Stephen Deakin said: “We are delighted to welcome Brendon and Jaydon to give their insights on how they have the turned the entrepreneurial tenacity for which the West Midlands is known into a business success story, the perfect experience to share with our engaged business audience.
"With BCRS Business Loans having recently supported Lumberjaxe as the Manders brothers continue to grow their business, it is fitting they join us for the Diners Club, which continues to be an excellent platform for bringing together the valued network who have helped make this another successful year for us as a community lender.
“Our commitment to supporting businesses remains stronger than ever, and events such as this enable us to strengthen relationships, forge new connections and extend awareness of the funding solutions we offer."
BCRS Business Loans will be holding a raffle during the event to raise funds for their chosen Charity of the Year, Kids’ Village.
For more information and to purchase tickets visit: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bcrs-black-country-diners-club-is-back-on-24th-september-2025-tickets-1420718590549?aff=oddtdtcreator
BCRS Business Loans provides funding to businesses across the West Midlands and Wales that are struggling to access finance from traditional lenders.
Businesses can secure loans from between £10,000 to £250,000 to support growth and recovery plans. Having launched in 2002, BCRS Business Loans has now passed £100 million in total lending to businesses, generating overall £518 million in economic impact.
Up to the end of April 2025, BCRS Business Loans supported 1,594 businesses that were unable to access traditional finance, creating over 5,900 jobs and safeguarding 11,779 existing roles.
BCRS Business Loans has achieved one of its best years ever for delivering funds, providing £9,900,502 to 124 businesses during the 2024-25 financial year, a 68% increase in the number of SMEs supported compared to the previous year.
In the last financial year, lending through BCRS Business Loans resulted in the safeguarding of 889 jobs and creation of 317 roles while adding £51.2m to the economy of the West Midlands, surrounding region and Wales. Of the funding, 34.6 per cent went to the UK’s most disadvantaged areas.
