Lord Sugar’s Sweet Tooth: A Look at His Business Investments Over the Years
Lord Sugar, the formidable business mogul and star of The Apprentice, has made a name for himself as a shrewd investor with a keen eye for talent. While he may be known for his tough demeanor on the show, behind the scenes, Lord Sugar has proven to have a soft spot for certain types of businesses – particularly those in the sweet treats industry.
In a surprising turn of events, it has been revealed that Lord Sugar’s favorite type of investment seems to be businesses that revolve around sugary delights. Over the past 12 years, Lord Sugar has made a total of 14 investments in Apprentice finalists, with four of those being companies selling sweet treats.
One such investment was in Harpreet Kaur’s dessert cafe chain Oh So Yum!, which Lord Sugar chose as the winner in 2022. However, Kaur bought back Lord Sugar’s shares in November 2023, signaling the end of their business partnership.
Similarly, Carina Lepore won the series in 2019 with her bakery chain Dough Artisan Bakery, but she too bought back Lord Sugar’s shares in 2023. Sarah Lynn, who competed in 2017, also won with her mail-order business Sweets in the City, but she bought back her business in 2022. Finally, Alana Spencer’s cake business Ridiculously Rich, which Lord Sugar chose as the winner in 2016, saw Spencer buying back his shares in 2019.
Despite his affinity for sweet treats, Lord Sugar has also made investments in other industries, including beauty products, gyms, recruitment, clothing, plumbing, and digital marketing. Notably, his very first investment in an Apprentice candidate was in Tom Pellereau’s skincare business, which they are still working on together to this day.
While Lord Sugar may have a sweet tooth when it comes to business investments, his track record shows that he is willing to take risks and diversify his portfolio. As he continues to mentor and support aspiring entrepreneurs, it will be interesting to see where his next investment will lead.