Pinole Blue on 'Shark Tank': Fans call out Mark Cuban for snapping at Pinole Blue team
It's not always easy to find food that celebrates your culture and heritage when you're not in your homeland. That's not to say there aren't options, but very few are true to their origins. However, if you're looking for a one of a kind protein supplement, then Pinole Blue is what you need. The brand's primary product is pinole -- a dry mix made from blue corn that is often used in smoothies and other drinks for an instant energy boost.
The question is, will Pinole Blue be able to bag an investment from Mark Cuban, Barbara Corcoran, Kevin O'Leary, Lori Greiner and guest Shark Emma Grede?
RELATED ARTICLES
Quevos on 'Shark Tank': What is the cost, who are the founders and where can you buy the healthy egg white chips?
Kate, Eddie and Kyle of Pinole Blue walked on the show hoping to score a deal of $300,000 for 10% equity. As they explained it, Kate was actually Eddie and Kyle's college professor, who encouraged Eddie to pursue his dream and create a brand and helped him get in touch with Kyle, who handles the social media end of the business. With 720,000 in lifetime sales, all the sharks agreed that they certainly had a superior product on hand. But when it came to putting their money where their mouth is, each of them seemed to back out one by one, the main issue being that the brand's story didn't reflect quickly, making it a hard sell when it came to other existing brands in the market. At the same time, Kate reasoned that the brand was popular with the Hispanic community; they target through their tortillas. However, with the market quite saturated, it wasn't good enough for the Sharks.
Nevertheless, Kate was persistent and even spoke about her late husband and her promise to help Eddie and Kyle. Finally, however, the Sharks had to ask her to wrap up with time running out. While saying her final thank yous, Cuban cut her off and told them to go, which did not sit well with fans.
"Great story. They'll do well. Just foiled by the classic chicken-and-tortilla problem. #SharkTank" tweeted a fan. "If it's the beginning and you can relate to them, why not help them? #SharkTank" added another. "@ABCSharkTank oh ok Mark sees a future in the diaper product but not in this tortilla co. ? lol #SharkTank" asked a fan. "Watching #SharkTank and the way @mcuban just snapped at them gives #texans a bad name. Disappointed!" noted another. "What happened? Why didn't they edit out Cuban yelling at her? Wow! LOL" asked another fan.
Great story. They'll do well. Just foiled by the classic chicken-and-tortilla problem. #SharkTank
— Phil Lemos (@Phil_Lemos) February 26, 2022
If it's the beginning and you can relate to them, why not help them? #SharkTank
— 🪐 T·W 🧚🏿 Pop Sensation Bruno Madrigal (@threatenwheel) February 26, 2022
@ABCSharkTank oh ok Mark sees a future in the diaper product but not in this tortilla co. ? lol #SharkTank
— Sue Cook (@Suec) February 26, 2022
Watching #SharkTank and the way @mcuban just snapped at them gives #texans a bad name. Disappointed!
— George Strong (@GeorgeStr20) February 26, 2022
What happened? Why didn’t they edit out Cuban yelling at her? Wow! LOL
— LeighsaLeigh (@LeighsaLeigh) February 26, 2022
What do you think? Was Mark too harsh with the Pinole Blue team? Sound off in the comments below!
'Shark Tank' Season 13 Episode 14 airs on ABC on February 25, 2022, at 8 pm ET. Catch the latest episode featuring products like Junobie, Pinole Blue, Diaper Dust and Range Beauty.
Missed an episode? Been wanting to catch up? Episodes can also be viewed the next day on demand and on Hulu. Not just that, you can also watch old seasons and episodes on Amazon Prime Video and iTunes.
