In the spirit of Shark Week, I thought why not take a closer look at some of the rarest kind of shark out there: human sharks. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the ABC show Shark Tank, it has nothing to do with sharks, unless you count the animal-like business tactics of the five billionaire entrepreneurs who sit in the “tank.” They have the opportunity to invest in the companies of aspiring businessmen and women. Pitches from those who’ve dared to enter the tank include everything from clothing lines to software and tech to, of course, food. Check out some of the best to come out of the show’s 10 seasons (and where they are now!).
Wicked Good Cupcakes
Mother-daughter pair, Tracy Noonan and Danielle Desroches, started their cupcake-in-a-jar company in their hometown of Cohasset, MA. Every single cupcake is baked fresh daily from scratch since the bakery was founded in October 2011. The two entered the tank seeking $75k for a 20% stake in the company. Right away the sharks were impressed with the quality and flavor of the cakes; shark Mark Cuban even requested a second jar, and then a third. (I mean, wouldn’t we all!?) When asked how they’re different from anyone else who puts cake in a jar, Noonan said: “We wanna be the Ben and Jerry’s of cupcakes in a jar.” Since making a deal with Kevin O’Leary (aka Mr. Wonderful) in 2013, Wicked Good Cupcakes has sold over $14 million in cupcakes and have opened a franchise in Fort Wayne, IN. To see how the deal went down, watch Shark Tank season 4, episode 22.
Cousin’s Maine Lobster
Jim Tselikis and Sabin Lomac are cousins who started their food truck in 2012, because they wanted to bring iconic Maine lobster to southern California. They were offered a spot on the show and came in seeking $55k for 5% equity, valuing the business at $1 million. In the two months they had been open, they sold $150,000 worth of lobster, and the sharks all agreed that it was very tasty. They struck a deal with Barbara Corcoran, who then suggested franchising the business, and it was indeed the best thing for the cousins. There are now 35 trucks throughout the country (and 10 restaurants) making the total sales over $50 million. They’re on a roll!! To watch it all happen, check out Shark Tank season 4 episode 6.
Bantam Bagels
The couple behind these stuffed bagel bites is Nick and Elyse Oleksak. Less than a year after of opening in 2013, they were voted one of the top three best bagels in New York by The New York Daily News. They asked the sharks for $275k for 11% of the company. When it came time for the sharks to taste the bagels, Oleksak said they only way to eat them is to “find the hole, bite the hole.” With 18 different flavors, the sharks couldn’t get enough. Bantam Bagels had made their way into QVC, which is the home of shark Lori Greiner. Sticking with what they knew, the couple made a deal with Greiner in 2015, that led to an eventual buyout by T. Marzetti Co. for $34 million. To learn more about this deal, watch Shark Tank season 6, episode 13.
Fat Shack
Fat Shack, a franchise that specializes in “munchies” and “late-night food,” was founded by Tom Armenti and Kevin Gabauer in 2010. The stores have seen major success around college campuses, but the pair were not making enough money off the royalties from each of their 9 franchises. Armenti and Gabauer came into the tank looking for $250,000 in exchange for 7.5%. The sharks did not have an issue with the taste of the giant and indulgent sandwiches, nor with the businesses’ $22 million in sales. A popular sandwich, The Fat Jersey, is inspired by Aremnti’s college days in New Jersey. It’s stuffed with cheesesteak, chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks, French fries, and honey mustard. The Fat Cow sandwich consists of mac n cheese, bacon, fries, and mozzarella sticks, with buffalo ranch dressing. (I’ll take one of everything please!) The owners ended up with a deal from Mark Cuban, who typically invests in good-for-you products. This investment came as a surprise to the sharks, but Cuban was ready, “Done,” he said, “Let’s go get fat.” To see Fat Shack’s pitch and more, take a look at Shark Tank season 10, episode 23.
The Cookie Dough Café
Julia Schmid and Joan Pacetti, founders of edible cookie dough company, The Cookie Dough Café, started their business back in 2012. They went on Shark Tank in 2014, hoping to get an investment of $50k for a 20% stake. This cookie dough does not contain eggs or baking soda, so while you could use to bake actual cookies, it’s made to be eaten raw without the risks that regular raw cookie dough presents. FINALLY! The sharks could not stop eating the egg-free dough, but the low sales range of the sisters scared them. The sharks feared that it was too early for The Cookie Dough Cafe to take off, but Lori Greiner and guest shark Steve Tisch decided to partner and give them a deal they couldn’t say no to. To hear the debate, watch Shark Tank season 5, episode 16.
Avocaderia
The world’s first avocado bar, founded by Francesco Brachetti, Alberto Gramini, and Alessandro Biggi, opened in Brooklyn, NY in 2017. Shortly after Biggi appeared on a 2018 episode of Shark Tank, seeking $300,000k for 10% equity. Every single dish on the menu uses avocado, so BRB while I head over there right freakin now!!! The $75,000 in sales that the restaurant had made in just one month came as no surprise after the sharks tasted the food. All of the sharks had nothing but “mmm” to say, and Barbara Corcoran loved the beautiful presentation. With the restaurant already planning to open more locations, Corcoran and Mark Cuban offered a joint deal, which Biggi accepted. They currently have one other location in Chelsea, NY. Their Instagram page has over 65,000 followers and their Facebook page has over 30,000 likes. To keep learning about Avocaderia, see Shark Tank season 9, episode 22.
Beyond Sushi
**Attention all vegans** There is sushi out there for you, and it was created by Guy Vaknin in 2012! He came into the tank in 2018, as the first all-vegan restaurant ever to appear on the show, hoping to get an investment of $1.5 million for 25% of their upcoming West Coast venture and 5% of the already existing East Coast establishments. Guest shark, Matt Higgins, was “blown away by the food itself.” He and Lori Greiner joined forces to make Vaknin an offer, which he accepted. In 2017, Beyond Sushi experienced a $272,000 loss but is back on track to open at least four new NYC locations by 2020. To see how the deal went down, check out Shark Tank season 10, episode 3.
These companies were lucky enough to step into the tank and strike a deal. There are plenty more business and mogul sharks that have made awesome deals in the last 10 seasons. Click here to meet the rest of the sharks. Dying to watch all of these episodes and more? Shark Tank can be streamed on ABC Go, Hulu, YouTube, Amazon Prime, Google Play, or iTunes. And don’t forget to tune in to ABC Sundays when a new season returns on Sept. 29th!