ECONOMY & WORK
MONEY 101
NEWS
PERSONAL FINANCE
NET WORTH
About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Terms of Use DMCA Opt-out of personalized ads
© Copyright 2023 Market Realist. Market Realist is a registered trademark. All Rights Reserved. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.
MARKETREALIST.COM / ECONOMY & WORK

Vegan Mark Cuban offers a 6-figure deal to founder who pitched meat products on 'Shark Tank'

Mark Cuban knows a good product when he sees one, and that's all the convincing he needs to invest.
PUBLISHED APR 12, 2025
Screenshots showing Mark Cuban, Lori and the entrepreneur on "Shark Tank" (Cover image source: YouTube | Shark Tank Global)
Screenshots showing Mark Cuban, Lori and the entrepreneur on "Shark Tank" (Cover image source: YouTube | Shark Tank Global)

“Shark Tank” investors are known to have sharp business acumen, and they closely scrutinize every business model and the numbers on the table before making an investment decision. Rather than being sentimental, the likes of Kevin O'Leary and Mark Cuban are known to ruthlessly prioritize profits. When an entrepreneur named Phil Wong came to the show asking for $250,000 for 5% of his company, Misfit Foods, he was pitching sausages that are a mixture of chicken and veggies. This was aimed at consumers who want to reduce their meat intake but not cut it out entirely, and that was enough for Cuban, a vegan, to get on board.

Although he won't eat it himself, the celebrity investor was still impressed with what had been presented to him. He liked the entrepreneur, and he liked the sales figures. At the time of recording, Misfit Foods had been in the market for less than a year, and they were already on course to make more than a million.

Screenshot showing the entrepreneur on
Screenshot showing the entrepreneur on "Shark Tank." (Image source: YouTube | Shark Tank Global)

This product, however, came with its own set of challenges. Firstly, it was a refrigerated food item and finding space for those in big stores is not easy. No company wants to give up shelf space, especially if that shelf is in a refrigerator. Kevin O’Leary said that he had tried multiple times to make it big in this industry but couldn't, and so he backed out. Robert Herjavec, who is also a vegetarian, backed out, stating that he did not share the entrepreneur’s vision for the product.

Screenshot showing Kevin O'Leary on
Screenshot showing Kevin O'Leary on "Shark Tank" (Image source: YouTube | Shark Tank Global)

Daniel Lubetzky was the first to offer a deal to Wong. He said that he’d give the $250,000 but wanted 15% of the business. This brought down its valuation from $5 million to $1.5 million. He was not the only one. Lori Greiner liked the product as well and believed that it had a bright future. Therefore, she offered the same amount of money for 18% of the company. Cuban was the only one yet to make a decision.

Screenshot showing Daniel Lubetzky on
Screenshot showing Daniel Lubetzky on "Shark Tank" (Image source: YouTube | Shark Tank Global)

“For me, if I was a flexitarian, this would be too much. I’m not a curry guy, and citrus kale, maybe I’ll try it, but if it was simpler…I just want a sausage that I can put on a bun and eat it in a cookout and know it's healthier and lower calorie,” he said as he held up the different flavors of the sausages. Lubetzky agreed with his counterpart, and Mr. Wonderful also chimed in with his opinion.

“I had no idea you’re a chef, Mark,” O’Leary said. “Are you gonna make an offer?” Cuban said that he would and asked Lubetzky if he would like to partner up. They agreed and together offered $250,000 for 15%. This still didn't change the fact that the company’s valuation would go down dramatically. The entrepreneur made a counteroffer and asked for $300,000.



 

Cuban looked at Lubetzky upon hearing this and said, “That’s not crazy. I would do that.” That was the deal they ultimately struck, and Wong walked away happy.

MORE ON MARKET REALIST
The instrument originally belonged to the guest's grandfather who suffered a horrific injury.
16 hours ago
The contestant's wife seemed embarassed at that point of time, and worried as well.
18 hours ago
The co-founders of Dino Don got the shark that they always wanted on board.
19 hours ago
One can understand why the measure is in place but the shopper was having none of it.
20 hours ago
"My husband and I definitely noticed it! We had to rewind it a few times," a fan reacted.
21 hours ago
All of the sharks agreed that she had a great product and the drive to be successful a businesswoman.
1 day ago
It's possible that the dog played a little part in making it easier for them to get a deal.
1 day ago
Without the help of his wife, the contestant would have gone home empty-handed.
1 day ago
The pawn store owner had a valid point since the item the guest had brought had numerous issues.
1 day ago
The contestant got the first part of the puzzle right but wasn't able to solve it in time.
1 day ago
"It's a lady's robe. A robe from 1750 is a very rare robe. The only other ones I know of this type, you'd have to go to Beijing," the appraiser said.
2 days ago
Harvey also got other hilarious answers, but nothing could match the woman's sass.
2 days ago
The Gronkowski family is famous for their contributions to America's sporting culture.
2 days ago
The expert said that the fossil was well preserved but still wasn't something extraordinary.
2 days ago
The expert revealed that the jewel was from the late-Victorian era with an exceedingly rare stone.
3 days ago
"I wouldn't have gotten this one at all. I only got "of the curve," but that was it," a fan said.
3 days ago
All of the other sharks said no to the entrepreneurs, but Mr. Wonderful saw value in the product.
3 days ago
The contestant might not have expected to even be on stage, let alone play such a great game.
3 days ago
Everyone in the studio loved the four-legged superstar who stole the show for a few seconds.
4 days ago
The founder of "Eat Your Flowers"just couldn't refuse the offer despite having others on the table.
4 days ago