The Sharks See Cherry Red

Banana Loca 
Bechara Jaoudee, FOX ’10 and Renee Heath

For years, best friends Jaoudee and Heath frequented invention trade shows and shared cool gadget finds. One fruitful day, when Jaoudee talked about eating Nutella and bananas as a child in Lebanon, Heath commented about how her 15 nieces and nephews love banana slices with peanut butter. And the idea of Banana Loca, a device for coring and filling bananas, was born!  In season 13, Kevin O'Leary and Mark Cuban invested $250,000 for a 25% stake and a royalty of $3 per unit until the initial investment was paid back. Following the episode, the company was "slammed with orders." Now, these entrepreneurs cherish how Banana Loca helps families have fun in the kitchen while enjoying something delicious. 

Blendi Blends
Peter Shapiro, FOX ’08, and Stuart Shapiro 

The Shapiros wanted to find a way to help keep people running when nothing else was, so they dove into unattended retail as a licensee with Blendi Blends. This business-to-business now offers vending machines that create delicious real fruit smoothies with no lactose, gluten or added sugar and clean-label iced coffee in just 60 seconds. In season 14, Lori Greiner and Kind Bar CEO Daniel Lubetzky offered $250,000 for 35% equity, a lower value than requested. The Sharks showed their teeth in negotiations, but the brother’s Philly-made and Temple-made grit was on full display, securing them a $500,000 line of credit in addition to the offer. This is a huge opportunity for the Shapiros, who plan to double their locations and expand into Walmart stores in the near future.  

Kreyol Essence
Stephane Jean-Baptise, KLN ’06 and Yve-Car Momperousse

Momperousse has been reaching for Haitian Black Castor Oil for bad hair days since she was young. But, to her dismay, no one had the organic oil available when her stylist mistakenly used too much heat on her tresses. The creation of Kreyol Essence was also fueled by her shared vision with Jean-Baptise to stimulate economic activity in Haiti. As long-time activists in the Haitian community, they knew that the people of Haiti needed jobs instead of aid, especially after a devastating earthquake hit Haiti in 2010. In season 11, the pair pitched their brand but was not offered an investment from any Sharks. However, in 2020, Kreyol Essence announced its products would be sold at Ulta Beauty across the United States. 

Simply Good Jars
Jared Cannon, FOX ’17

While Cannon was working full time during the day and studying to earn his MBA at night, he struggled to find meal options that were quick, easily available, healthy and delicious. He then founded Simply Good Jars in the fall of 2017 to help improve lives and communities through responsible, respectful food choices for everyone. Simply Good Jars also provides restaurant-quality food in convenient, reusable and recyclable jars to help keep plastic out of landfills. In season 12, Mark Cuban and Lori Greiner invested $500,000 for 10% equity. Since then, the company has partnered with GoPuff, built a bigger online presence and expanded into select Wawa and Saxbys locations, including locations on Main Campus. We have also had the honor of hosting Simply Good Jars on panels and at events like Homecoming and Family Weekend.