How Huel boss Julian Hearn went from digging holes in roads to a multi millionaire - as the meal replacement company backed by Idris Elba takes over supermarkets shelves

Julian has grown his business over the years and is now worth millions He left school with dismal grades and began his career digging up roads - but Huel founder Julian Hearn has certainly landed on his feet. Thirty five years later he is worth an estimated £240 million and at the head of a company whose investors include Idris Elba and Jonathan Ross In August, investor Steven Bartlett saw a Huel advert in which he appeared praising Huel banned by the advertising watchdog Joining him in the ranks of the food-replacement's supporters were his UN Goodwill Ambassador wife Sabrina Dhowre Elba, Jonathan Ross and TALA boss Grace Beverley CEO James McMaster told the Times: 'We have scaled up with our widest range of products ever, selling more to customers via our direct-to-customer business as well as a rapidly growing footprint in physical retail stores.' Timeline of Huel chief Julian Hearn's career 1972: born in Buckinghamshire, England 1988: left school at 16 with two Es in English 1988: worked in a shop for a year 1989: worked as a labourer 1991: told he was too bright to dig holes, so went to college 1993: passed college with distinction but couldn't get a job, so went to University of Bournemouth 1996: left university with a 2:1 1997-2008: worked way up the ladder to Head of Marketing 2008: started first company with a £1,500 personal investment 2011: sold Mash up Media to Internetbrands 2012: launched Bodyhack 2013: paused Bodyhack and started work on Huel 2015: launched Huel on 17th June from his garage He continued: 'Your competitors will improve, so you need to improve to stay ahead. Hearn, 46, says that that to be as successful as him you have to 'work your a**e off' and you can 'never rest on your laurels' Huel - which was founded in 2015 - was valued at £464m in February, with the company selling three of its meals every second globally in January Eight years on from the company being founded, it has sold a stunning 300 million meals in 100 countries Speaking to GQ, he explained: 'I probably haven't had a lunch break in four years. The adverts published on Facebook saw Bartlett, who has a financial interest in the company, call the Daily Greens powder 'Huel's best product' The brand was previously in hot water with the advertising watchdog in August after Dragon's Den star Steven Bartlett failed to make clear in Facebook posts promoting Huel that he had a financial interest in the company.