What Happened To Three Jerks Jerky After Shark Tank?

Conceptually, beef jerky sounds simple, but realistically, choosing the best combination of meats and flavorings can be a time-consuming process. Founded by two friends, the folks at Three Jerks Jerky spent an innumerable amount of time testing cuts of meat to find the best-flavored jerky. The company settled on filet mignon jerky for its tenderness and all-around better quality than jerky made from top or bottom round beef — a cut the majority of beef jerky manufacturers choose. As suggested by the name, Three Jerks Jerky used to have a third partner, but a falling out left only two jerks, Daniel Fogelson and Jordan Barrocas.

After spending some time dehydrating jerky at home, the two raised $45,000 from a Kickstarter campaign to move the business to its own building for manufacturing and packaging. They then began selling their nitrate- and preservative-free jerky for $11.99 a pack. In the year leading up to the brand's "Shark Tank" appearance, it sold $350,000. As impressive as this is, Fogelson and Barrocas had bigger plans, so they applied for a chance in the tank.

When entrepreneurs Daniel Fogelson and Jordan Barrocas dived into the tank, they requested $100,000 for a 15% stake in their company. The pair, who appeared in season 7, episode 5, were hoping to use the shark's funding to purchase needed resources for their jerkey in bulk and aid in co-packing. After tasting samples of all three flavors, the sharks quickly began to swarm.

Following the presentation, Three Jerks Jerky received offers from Daymond John, Kevin O'Leary, Robert Herjavec, and Lori Greiner. Due to the general competitiveness of the beef jerky industry, Mark Cuban quickly decided not to be involved. After a back-and-forth discussion, Fogelson and Barrocas accepted John's offer of $100,000 for 15% with an additional $100,000 for another 15% should the company choose it. 

According to Yahoo! News, John regards Three Jerks Jerky as one of his favorite companies he's ever invested in. His decision to make an offer was unexpected, as he previously revealed on the James Altucher podcast his disinterest in the perishable food category.

The success of the business skyrocketed after its episode aired. In three weeks, the company sold around 150,000 bags of jerky, equal to $1.4 million in revenue. The volume overwhelmed the brand's production capacity, but Daymond John quickly stepped in to aid the situation. 

Packaged in 2-ounce bags, Three Jerks Jerky comes in five flavors, including Original, Chipotle Adobo, Memphis BBQ, Maple Bourbon, and Veri Veri Teriyaki. The price of each bag has now slightly dropped to $11.19. In 2022, the company's annual revenue was reported at $4 million.

Recently, Daniel Fogelson and Jordan Barrocas have partially stepped away from the business to pursue individual interests, though the company is still open and selling jerky. Currently, the company has partnered with Rastelli Foods to handle packaging. Shark Tank Blog speculates that this may be the reason for Fogelson and Barrocas' departure, as the partnership allegedly only left them with a 50% stake of Three Jerks Jerky.