'CUP-A-WINE' CONCEPT PROVES DRAGONS' DEN WRONG

WHEN ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE BBC's 'DRAGONS' DEN' PANEL OF FINANCIAL EXPERTS SAY AN INVENTION IS RUBBISH, MOST PEOPLE RETURN TO THEIR DAY JOBS, VOWING NEVER TO COME UP WITH A SILLY IDEA AGAIN. BUT INVENTOR JAMES NASH REFUSED TO GIVE UP ON HIS DREAM AND HE IS HAVING THE LAST LAUGH AS MARKS & SPENCER STRUGGLE TO KEEP UP WITH THE DEMAND FOR HIS UNIQUE 'CUP-A-WINE' CONCEPT. NASH'S INVENTION, A SINGLE-SERVE PLASTIC GLASS OF FRENCH WINE WITH A TEAR-OFF LID, SOLVES THE PROBLEM OF FEELING LIKE A GLASS OF WINE BUT NOT HAVING A GLASS OR A CORKSCREW HANDY. NASH FIRST TOOK THE IDEA TO DRAGONS' DEN LAST YEAR ONLY FOR IT TO BE REJECTED OUT OF HAND. HE ASKED 'DRAGONS' PETER JONES, THEO PAPHITIS, DUNCAN BANNATYNE, JAMES CAAN AND DEBORAH MEADEN FOR £250,000 FOR A 25 PERCENT STAKE IN HIS BUSINESS, WINE INNOVATIONS INC. HOWEVER, THEY GAVE HIM A GRILLING AND BOWED OUT BECAUSE THEY WERE UNCONVINCED ANYONE WOULD BE INTERESTED IN WINE SOLD IN PLASTIC GLASSES. THE NEW M&S LE FROGLET WINE INDIVIDUAL GLASSES, WHICH EACH COST £2.25 FOR A SHIRAZ, ROSE AND CHARDONNAY, WERE LAUNCHED JUST LAST WEEK AND THE STORE CHAIN HAS FOUND THEY QUICKLY SELL OUT. THE WEBSITE cluelessaboutwine.co.uk SAID SHOPPERS SEEM EXCITED ABOUT THE NEW CONCEPT. 'JUDGING BY THE BUZZ IN THE SHOP I SUSPECT THAT THESE MAY WELL BE A HIT', IT SAID. 'THIS IS A NEW IDEA, AND WHAT IT DOES HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO IS TO GIVE THE CONSUMER A REALISTIC PORTION, A MORE MANAGEABLE DRINKING QUANTITY WHICH SAVES YOU SPOILING A WHOLE BOTTLE OF WINE.' NASH WHO IS BASED IN SURREY, SAID: 'IT WAS DISHEARTENING TO BE DISMISSED BY ALL THE DRAGONS, BUT I KNEW I HAD A GREAT CONCEPT WHICH WOULD WORK IN OUTDOOR EVENTS, BBQ, PICNIC, CONCERTS AND WOULDN'T GIVE UP. I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO FACING THE DRAGONS AGAIN AS 'THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY'. HOPEFULLY SALES OF THE PRODUCT WILL SHOW THAT THEY'RE NOT ALWAYS RIGHT.' A M&S SPOKESMAN SAID: 'THE GLASSES ARE MERCHANDISED IN OUR 'FOOD ON THE MOVE' SECTION, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY THE AISLE PEOPLE ON THE GO HEAD TO, PARTICULARLY OFFICE WORKERS. WE THINK THAT THEY ARE PROVING POPULAR WITH PEOPLE WHO WANT TO PERHAPS ENJOY THE SUMMER WITH A GLASS OF WINE IN THE PARK AS PART ON AN IMPROMPTU PICNIC, EITHER AFTER WORK AND FOR A RELAXING LUNCH.'