Hardware Podcasts

#116 TOAST-IT Makes a Deal on Shark Tank! All the Details from Inside the Tank with Founders Coco & Mafe

The Startup CPG Podcast · 28 Nov 2023 · 35m · Episode 93

What this episode covers

Toast It founders Mafe Romer and Coco Cabezas detail their journey from applying for Shark Tank to securing a $150,000 investment for 20% equity from Daniel Lubetzky. They discuss the rigorous application process, the intense preparation required for the pitch, and the logistical challenges of managing demand spikes while Mafe was five months pregnant and giving birth. The sisters also share insights on their expansion into major retailers like Walmart and Whole Foods, and the significant sales lift experienced post-airing.

Most relevant to

companies scaling up

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Toast It, Camino Partners, Nopalera, Publix, Walmart, Whole Foods, Winn-Dixie
Products
Arepas, Pan de bono bites
Also
Daniel Lubetzky, Kevin O'Leary

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Product Startup · 54m

    008: Temporary Face Masks & Surviving Shark Tank, Doug Marshall of The Game Face Company

    Doug Marshall, founder of The Game Face Company, explains how he raised $80,000 from friends and family to launch his temporary face mask business before appearing on Shark Tank. He details the audition process, the legal stipulations of the show, and his partnership with Lori Greiner and Mark Cuban, who invested $450,000 for equity. Marshall discusses the development of his proprietary FDA-approved adhesive, the 'dry apply' fan mask, and the challenges of scaling production and protecting intellectual property against Chinese knock-offs.

    Crowdfunding & preordersCertification & compliance
    8 chapters

  • How I Built This · 1h 08m

    Happy Family Organics: Shazi Visram (2020)

    Shazi Visram, founder of Happy Family Organics, explains how she pivoted from a failed frozen baby food concept to a $200 million brand by adopting the pouch format after seeing it in Australia. She details raising $550,000 from friends and family after rejecting a VC term sheet that would have given investors 70% equity, and leveraging a free American Express Super Bowl commercial to raise $8 million in three weeks. Visram discusses selling 92% of the company to Danone to secure resources against competitors like Gerber and Plum Organics, driven by both strategic necessity and her son’s autism diagnosis.

    Validation & product-market fitFundraising & investors
    7 chapters

  • How I Built This · 1h 26m

    Perfect Snacks: Bill and Leigh Keith

    Bill and Leigh Keith, co-founders of Perfect Bars, explain how they turned their father's homemade peanut butter and honey recipe into a major CPG brand, eventually selling to Mondelēz International. They detail the bootstrapped journey from hand-rolling bars in a Sacramento warehouse to securing deals with Whole Foods and Costco, and the critical decision to introduce a chocolate chip flavor to meet investor metrics. The episode highlights a major crisis when a false positive salmonella test forced a massive recall, nearly shutting down the company before they secured $15 million in investment from VMG Partners.

    Starting a product companyCrowdfunding & preorders
    9 chapters

  • How I Built This · 1h 03m

    Live Episode! Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP: Angie & Dan Bastian (2019)

    Angie and Dan Bastian, founders of BOOMCHICKAPOP, recount their journey from a $10,000 side hustle to a $250 million acquisition by Conagra. They discuss the grueling early days of selling kettle corn at Minnesota Vikings games and local supermarkets, the financial struggles of scaling production, and the pivotal decision to rebrand from Angie's Kettle Corn to BOOMCHICKAPOP to appeal to a broader, female-centric market. The episode highlights their strategic partnerships with Trader Joe's and Costco, the role of private equity firms Sherbrooke Capital and TPG in professionalizing the business, and how they maintained their marriage and company culture through intense growth.

    Starting a product companyScaling production
    8 chapters

  • How I Built This · 1h 06m

    Poppi: Allison and Stephen Ellsworth. From Farmers Market Vinegar Drink to $2B Soda Sensation

    Allison and Stephen Ellsworth, founders of Poppi, explain how they transformed a home-brewed apple cider vinegar drink into a $2 billion prebiotic soda acquired by Pepsi. They detail the pivot from 'Mother Beverage' to Poppi, driven by Shark Tank investor Rohan Oza’s critique that their branding was 'sh*t,' leading to a rebrand with colored cans and a 'functional soda' positioning. The founders describe overcoming early carbonation failures, securing Whole Foods distribution, and leveraging TikTok and Amazon to explode sales during the pandemic, culminating in a Super Bowl ad and eventual acquisition.

    Crowdfunding & preordersDirect-to-consumer & e-commerce
    7 chapters

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by The Startup CPG Podcast. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.