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Pan's Mushroom Jerky on ‘Shark Tank’: What is the cost, who is founder Michael Pan and where can you buy it?

Made with shiitake mushrooms, Pan's Mushroom Jerky is vegan, high in fiber and vitamin D, paleo-friendly, Kosher, soy-free and gluten-free

Would you like to try jerky made of shiitake mushrooms with a delicious umami taste and satisfying meaty texture? Pan's Mushroom Jerky debut on ‘Shark Tank’ with an incredible deal. Using simple ingredients, it creates a slightly sweet and blissfully umami flavor. Made with shiitake mushrooms, Pan's Mushroom Jerky is vegan, high in fiber and vitamin D, paleo-friendly, Kosher, soy-free and gluten-free.

The summary for his pitch on the show reads: Can an entrepreneur from Portland, Oregon, successfully sell the Sharks on his vegan version of a classic grab-and-go snack? In 2018, it was first introduced with an updated recipe and clean, simple ingredients. Pan's is available in four flavors, all inspired by his original family recipe and their desire for a satisfying plant-based snack. As per the website, Pan's Mushroom Jerky is now “produced in Portland, Oregon and is available in over 700 stores in the United States.” 

What is Pan's Mushroom Jerky?

“Shiitake mushrooms are known for their dense, fibrous texture and their savory umami flavor, which is why the Pan family has been using them in their jerky recipe for decades,” the official website reads. “Umami, or savoriness, is the fifth taste after sweetness, sourness, bitterness, and saltiness. Other umami-rich foods include meats, seafood, and cheese. While Pan's Mushroom Jerky doesn't contain any meat, the flavor and texture of our jerky will leave you feeling satisfied!”

You can go creative and put it on a pizza, noodles, avocado toast, in a salad, or even an omelet. Well, not just that, it helps protect animals from merciless deaths and lessens beef processing. One review on the website reads: “This was my 2nd bag of the BBQ flavor, and it's soooooo good. The first one I managed to work through slowly and savor (made a wonderful treat while day hiking), but the second one I ate all in one sitting. I'm sad I don't have any more right now, but will be ordering again soon.” Pan's Mushroom Jerky is good for heart health, the digestive system and it will keep your skin fresh! 

Who is the founder? 

It all started during a trip to Borneo, Malaysia, where founder Michael Pan visited family he hadn’t seen in years. His mother hails from Peru and his father was born in Malaysia. They fell in love and married in a small town in Mississippi, where Michael was born and raised. Little did he know he would discover a recipe that had been in his family for decades. In his own words, “Traveling to Malaysia was partially to get to know my family's history and culture, which of course involves food. On one visit, my cousin put a bowl of food on the table that I absolutely loved.”

 “He learned that many of his family members are vegetarian Buddhists. Because of their diet, they craved vegetarian snacks that not only tasted great but also had a satisfying texture,” the official website reveals. “They found that mushrooms were a great replacement for meat. Not only did it have great texture, but the mushrooms were natural sources of vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants.”

“Michael knew that his family had something special he needed to share with the rest of the world. Even while working full time, Michael's enthusiasm for developing the product never waned. For months he developed, tested, and iterated on his family recipe from his kitchen in Washington,” it continues.

What is the cost?

Did you know Pan's Mushroom Jerky comes in four varieties? What are the ingredients? The ingredients in Original Mushroom Jerky include organic dried shiitake mushrooms, water, avocado oil, organic coconut sugar, Himalayan pink salt, organic chia seeds. For Salt & Pepper, it is organic dried shiitake mushrooms, avocado oil, organic coconut sugar, water, organic seasoning (organic black pepper, Himalayan pink salt) and organic chia seeds.

Applewood BBQ includes organic dried shiitake mushrooms, avocado oil, organic coconut sugar, water, Himalayan pink salt, organic applewood seasoning (Himalayan pink salt, coconut sugar, smoked paprika, chili pepper, vinegar powder, black pepper, citric acid, garlic, onion, cayenne pepper, sunflower oil and organic chia seeds. Meanwhile, Zesty Thai has organic thai seasoning (garlic, onion, lemon peel, cayenne, tomato powder, coriander, paprika, citric acid, basil, black pepper, malic acid, cilantro, white pepper), organic chia seeds apart from the normal ingredients.

Get incredible deals on the official website. Original Mushroom Jerky, Zesty Thai Mushroom Jerky, Applewood BBQ Mushroom Jerky and Salt & Pepper Mushroom Jerky are all available at $7.20 instead of $9. And if you're wondering where else can you get it, steal a glance at the Amazon page. Not just that, you can also buy a Pan's Mushroom Jerky Gift Card for just $11.20.

Who will steal the deal?

Daymond John earlier invested in another Jerky brand so it's possible he could be less interested in this one. The two Sharks who could probably invest in the product are Blake Mycoskie and Lori Greiner. However, a teaser reveals Mark Cuban swooped in and made another huge offer. 

Pitching his product on the ABC show, Michael Pan opened up about his product that is “near and dear to his heart.” No sooner did he reveal it, Lori said, “I love it!” When she asked if there anyone else doing it, he said there are a few but he is looking to grow. Blake and Lori decided to be “special partners” and offered a 30% stake with 15% for both each. But Mark had a better offer: He offered $300,000 for a 20% stake if he said yes now. It soon leads to a huge fight and Kevin O'Leary advises him it depends on how much equity you want.

“Plain and simple: the Sharks are ready to BITE. Tune in tonight to see what happens next!” the video teaser from the show reveals. One fan even said, “Two investors isn’t necessarily a good thing. Mark has every connection in this industry and he is asking for less equity. I hope he went with Mark.”

‘Shark Tank’ Season 12 Episode 6 will premiere on November 20, 2020, from 8 pm to 9 pm ET on ABC.