14 Food Companies That Didn't Land A Deal On Shark Tank

Shark Tank has helped some food brands become absolute stars in the food and beverage industry, including The Pizza Cupcake and Proper Good. Even food companies that don't walk away with deals, like Kodiak Cakes, go on to do amazing things outside of the tank. That's the case for some of the food companies on this list, all of which decided to take a chance by appearing on Shark Tank but ultimately walking away without a deal.

Some of these brands disappeared into the unknown after wrestling with the Sharks, but others found incredible successes come their way despite not getting a deal from the famous investors. Keep reading to learn what food companies didn't get cash in exchange for equity, why the Sharks decided not to invest in their companies, and how some tenacious owners continued to push forward to see their brands to the finish line and beyond.

Project Pollo got its start on Shark Tank in a much different way than most companies do: with an emailed suggestion from investor Mark Cuban himself to make an appearance on the show (via QSR). Of course, owner Lucas Bradbury couldn't pass up the opportunity to go on the show to seek an investment for his vegan chicken sandwich fast food chain. When he arrived, he pitched the Sharks for a whopping $2.5 million for a 5% stake in his company.

Not surprisingly, the Sharks were not impressed with Bradbury's valuation, although they absolutely loved the food he was selling. Still, Bradbury continued to fight for the valuation he believed in, telling QSR that his ultimate goal wasn't necessarily to nab a deal. Instead, he wanted to get a deal with a shark who understood his brand's value and was willing to give Project Pollo what he knew it was worth. Bradbury walked away deal-less, but the brand currently has 13 locations in Texas, with a few others slated for a 2023 release, proving that it's going strong regardless of its time in the tank (via Project Pollo).

By the time they entered the Shark Tank to see if they could cut a deal with investors, Baker's Edge owners already had a long history with their brownie-worthy baking pan that promised to give crispy browned edges to every brownie in the pan. They had already won an invention contest, and spent several years brainstorming and perfecting the pan that would eventually become the Baker's Edge brand. The pan was also featured on the list of Oprah's Favorite Things in 2011, before the owners even met the famous Sharks. Unfortunately, the Sharks simply couldn't see the value in the pan, and each of them opted out of becoming an investor (via Shark Tank Blog).

However, it appears that the company is doing okay on its own. At the time of this writing, the website states that it's completely sold out of its televised brownie pan for 2022, but new inventory is making its way to the site in 2023. It also sells a muffin pan, spatulas, and other goodies to help you get your bake on.

If there was ever a food or drink brand to flop hard in the shark tank, it was Cow Wow Cereal Milk, a bottled milk brand that claims to taste just like the leftover cereal milk you have in your morning bowl. In addition, the owners stated that the milk was a healthier version of traditional flavored milk you find in stores or schools. However, the Sharks believed that the milk was too high in calories and not a good enough alternative in terms of nutrition or flavor for other flavored milk. In the end, the owners left empty-handed, with Kevin O'Leary sealing the deal as the last shark to drop out (per Shark Tank Blog).

The company hasn't updated its Facebook page since 2015, not long after appearing on Shark Tank. Although the product was once on Amazon for online purchasing, it's currently listed as unavailable as of January 2023. One reviewer criticized the taste, writing, "I ordered these after seeing them on Shark Tank. They are outrageously priced, but I ordered them anyway hoping they would be delicious. They taste like a slightly sweetened water with a weird flowery aftertaste. Just yucky."

Mama O's Premium Kimchi has arguably one of the most memorable pitches on Shark Tank to date, mostly because of founder Kheedhim Oh and his adorable Mama. Although Oh is the face behind the brand, he says that his mom has helped him become the kimchi maker he is today, sparking the idea for the company. Mama O's Premium Kimchi sells ready-to-eat and easy-to-make kimchi and kimchi-related products to spice up your dishes.

Unfortunately, despite the duo's refreshing presence in the tank, the investors either didn't have the passion needed for the brand or didn't think the company was on the right track with solid business decisions. Eventually, each shark dropped out of the running as an investor for the company (via Shark Tank Blog). Fortunately, it seems that the brand is excelling on its own. On its website, you can find everything from kimchi kits to dehydrated kimchi flakes to add flavor to your favorite dishes.

When Chef Big Shake walked into Shark Tank looking for an investment in his shrimp burger company back in 2011, he probably had no idea how much the show would change his life. The burgers, which came in four different flavors at the time, were a hit with the Sharks overall, but none of them ended up biting on Chef Big Shake's request for $200,000 for 25% equity (via Shark Tank Success).

Chef Big Shake Foods still pushed on to find the success it was looking for after leaving the show. According to Investopedia, the company's sales skyrocketed from a modest $30,000 to projecting over $5 million in one year. It was such a success story that Mark Cuban even admitted on an interview with Good Morning America that he wished he didn't pass on the chef's shrimp burgers after learning about the company's post-show growth and popularity (via Foodbeast).

Who doesn't love a muffin that tastes just like the campfire S'mores you had as a kid? Apparently, the Shark Tank investors don't — at least, not as an investable business. While appearing on episode 416 of Shark Tank, the business owners of Gotta Have S'more pitched their product, the layered S'muffin that's meant to remind consumers of the tastiest camping treat of them all.

Unfortunately, the owners didn't catch the Sharks' attention with their cupcake-like muffins. While Barbara didn't think the taste was on point, other Sharks were not impressed by the company valuation, sales to date, and astronomical shipping prices to send the product to consumers across the country. The ladies left with no deal, but they continue to build their business (per Shark Tank Blog). The company website now offers more products, including S'mookies and seasonal S'mores, and offers a limited-time Flavor of the Month for customers to eat up.

The story of Echo Valley Meats — a family-owned butcher and meat business — and its time on Shark Tank is one of the most unique. Several years ago, owner Dave Alwan made his first pitch on the show, but left empty-handed when no Shark felt that his company was the right investment for him. Still, the Sharks loved their samples of Echo Valley Meats products and, in 2014, Alwan was lucky enough to be invited back for a second pitch. This time, he scored a deal with investor Mark Cuban after proving that he had what it took to scale his business and make it a success story (per Echo Valley Meats).

And a true success story it's been ever since, despite not getting a deal the first go-around. Mark Cuban still holds a share of the company, in addition to his long list of Shark Tank investments (via Mark Cuban Companies), and according to Go Banking Rates, Echo Valley Meats rakes in as much as $10 million in annual revenue.

Perhaps one of the most unique food products to hit the tank was Lynnae's Gourmet Pickles, which had been jarring gourmet pickles since 2011. The two owners sought $125,000 for 25% equity when they appeared on the show, hoping that the investment would help them meet the high demand they were receiving for their homemade, flavored pickles. According to their pitch, even their first week of pickle sales surprised them, hitting the 1,000 mark for products sold (per Shark Tank Blog).

However, the Sharks didn't seem as excited about the gourmet pickles, especially because of their price tag, which simply wasn't competitive enough to compete with other pickles already in stores. While the ladies left the show without a deal, Shark Tank Blog reports that they did continue to work on their company for a few more years until they decided to pursue other ventures outside of the pickle business.

Must Love's two owners — who are also best friends from college — entered the tank in season 13, hoping to get an investor on board to help them grow their dairy-free ice cream brand. After passing out samples, the Sharks agreed that the products tasted delicious. However, after some digging by the investors, the owners admitted they were in the process of a seed investment round, making some of the Sharks worried about jumping in as another investor, especially at the asking price of $600,000. Everyone eventually opted out of adding Must Love to their portfolio, leaving the business without a deal (per Shark Tank Recap).

After their time on the show, the best friend duo continued working on the business, and it still exists today. The Must Love website helps customers across the country buy plant-based ice cream and other products online, but the website also has a store locator to find its products in Fresco Community Markets, Whole Foods, Lessens, and other physical locations.

Mango Mango's three animated owners impressed the Sharks with their pitch on episode 505 of Shark Tank. The company had just one mango preserves product, but its owners were not afraid to market it as so much more. Their pitch found them dancing to their own beat, chanting "Spread it, mix it, shake it, stir it!" as they demonstrated the many ways people could use their preserves to make everything from sweet shrimp to salad dressing.

The product received a lot of love from the Sharks, but each of them ultimately decided that Mango Mango wasn't the right investment for them. Still, the owners went on to spread their love of mangoes and upbeat attitudes with the world, continuing their business and selling more than 15,000 jars of preserves after their episode aired (per Shark Tank Blog). According to Owler, the company has a revenue of approximately $4.3 million as of January 2023. Its product line remains modest, though, with just three items listed on its website.

Deux owner Sabeena Ladha walked into Shark Tank confident, poised, and ready to pitch her healthy, edible cookie dough to the room full of investors. Ladha's personal story and entrepreneurial spirit resonated with the Sharks from the jump, and most of the Sharks seemed impressed by the product itself — until they looked at the calorie count, which, they said, was very high for the small serving size (per Shark Tank Recap).

Robert was the first Shark to drop out because he doesn't like sweet foods. However, after the other investors also dropped, Robert entered back in, solely because he believed in Ladha and her drive to grow the business. However, after too much negotiating, he decided to let Ladha walk out without a deal (via Shark Tank Recap). According to The Cinemaholic, Deux still was able to increase its sales by 600% in the first half of 2021 alone and has since expanded with other healthy, alternative products for consumers.

Fresh Bellies is a company that's focused on making healthier snack options for kids and families. Today, the company is going strong with its snacks that infuse natural spices and herbs into each bite in an effort to introduce babies and toddlers to these bolder flavors and broaden their palates (per Fresh Bellies). According to RocketReach, the company has a $6 million revenue as of January 2024.

However, when Fresh Bellies appeared on Shark Tank's episode 1009, the company wasn't met with as much enthusiasm as its current customers seem to have. Overall, the Sharks didn't like the flavors they sampled, and they were concerned that the kids who needed healthy foods the most — generally, says Mark, those from low-income families — couldn't afford the brand's pricing. Owner Saskia continued to grow her brand after leaving the tank, eventually getting Fresh Bellies into Kroger and WalMart stores across the country (per Shark Tank Blog).

Food delivery companies are a dime a dozen nowadays, but Salted was determined to be a different type of food delivery service when it appeared on Shark Tank in season 11. The company's target audience is healthy food eaters, and it only offers delivery and online ordering services for its in-house food brands. Not surprisingly, these brands all emphasize nutritious foods, like its budget-friendly $5 Salad Company and its plant-based pizza company, Califlower Pizza (via Salted).

Owner Jeff Applebaum, unfortunately, couldn't get any Sharks in on his asking price of $500,000 for 5% equity. Much of the reason was that he failed to impress them with his numbers, noting that he already has investors who hadn't yet made money and that his previous business versions had not taken off like he'd hoped. However, the Salted website claims that the brand will have 80 live locations in 2023, so it looks like Applebaum may have finally found his space in the market.

Pinole Blue is a company founded by an unlikely group of people: a college business professor and two of her students who had never met until she introduced them. However, the three owners are highly invested in their brand of foods that utilize pinole, a superfood primarily made with nutrient-rich blue corn. They asked for $300,000 for 10% equity, hoping to have a Shark help the brand grow. When asked about their profits, though, they admitted they only netted about $5,000 thus far, making investors hesitate to pitch in (via Shark Tank Recap).

Still, the company's website is up, running, and selling the products across the country. Additionally, it appears that Pinole Blue is about much more than money for founder Eddie Sandoval. In an interview with Wichita Beacon, Sandoval says that he wants to make an impact on his community. "[I]n general, it's just been the opportunity to inspire other Latino and Latinx entrepreneurs to show that it doesn't matter your background or where you come from, that even small products like pinole and tortillas from a guy from a small town in north central Kansas can go national and almost international," he says.