'Shark Tank' contestants who threw healthy food in trash tempt Mark Cuban to invest in junk food

Unconventional ideas and at times over-the-top pitches are among the highlights of “Shark Tank,” where entrepreneurs try to win over celebrity investors. Mark Cuban is one of the most famous names on the panel and is also known for his love of all things healthy. Despite that, he offered a fantastic deal to a couple of founders, who threw a plate of healthy food into the trash. The entrepreneurs were Tony Armenti and Kevin Gabauer, and they were seeking $250,000 for 7.5% of their business.

Their company was called The Fat Shack, a fast food chain selling the most delicious but not the healthiest food. According to the entrepreneurs, one of the items that they were proud of was a sandwich with French fries, chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks, onion rings, jalapeno poppers, and a ton of sauce. Cuban loved the business and its numbers but was in two minds about offering them a deal.

“What I can’t get past is the whole health thing,” he said. “Every other food product I have is geared towards healthy living.” That’s when the entrepreneurs suggested that perhaps it was time that he added some diversity to his portfolio. He then offered $250,000 for 17%, which was brought down to 15% after a bit of negotiation, and a deal was struck. However, he wasn’t the only one interested in The Fat Shack.

The entrepreneurs made a solid pitch, and their numbers were as juicy as their food. The chain had 11 restaurants across the country at the time of recording, two of which were owned by the firm, and the remaining were franchisees. When it came to sales figures, the sharks were blown away. The company had earned a whopping $22 million in lifetime sales and $5.7 million the year prior. Apart from Lori Greiner, everyone offered them a deal.

The first was Kevin O’Leary, who said that he would offer them the money for 25% of the company. Daymond John matched that offer a few moments later. The entrepreneurs knew this was a lot of equity to give up, and Robert Herjavec tried to take advantage of that. He offered $250,000 for 17% of the business, and that was matched by Cuban, who ended up getting the deal. Greiner was also impressed by the sales numbers but decided not to offer a deal as the other sharks were interested in the company, and she didn’t feel strongly enough about the business. Like Cuban, she also has her name attached to an industry built on healthy eating habits. Cuban, however, saw the opportunity and sealed the deal.

According to a report in Food Republic, the company has done quite well for itself ever since its appearance on the “Shark Tank.” It has 30 locations in 13 states as of 2023 and made more than $17 million in revenue that year. That’s an incredible 777.1% since their first quarter of being in business.