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‘Shark Tank’ duo pitch a caveman-inspired seasoning — but nearly fumble their only offer

Two entrepreneurs invited a caveman to ‘Shark Tank’ in an attempt to impress the judges.

‘Shark Tank’ may be a show that gives wings to long-held dreams, but it has also delivered some of the best pitches, ones that not only impress the judges but also make them burst out laughing. One such pitch came from Khasha Touloei and Maynard Okereke, who sought $250,000 for a 20% equity stake. Explaining their product, Jada Spices, the two claimed that the way humans season food hasn’t changed since the days of the caveman, according to Market Realist. 

Supporting the entrepreneurs’ vision, their actor friend joined them on the highly acclaimed reality TV show. The three helped the Sharks understand how people could opt for a different and healthier option in Season 12. The product was a vegan chicken salt, an all-purpose seasoning made from turmeric. The outlet also noted that it came in a variety of flavours. Touloei explained that he had spent a significant part of his life in Australia, telling the Sharks that chicken salt was a big deal in the region. In creating the product, the two entrepreneurs removed all non-vegan and harmful elements, such as chicken stock, MSG, and more.

According to Shark Tank Recap, the Jada Spices founders explained they were planning to launch a plant-based chicken mix in hopes of revolutionizing the industry. Coming to the sales, Khasha and Maynard shared details about the earnings the company had made. Jada Spices sold $319,000 worth of chicken salt in 2019 and was on track to sell around $500,000 in 2020. Interestingly, even though the margins were high and the contestants had a solid pitch, most of the Sharks on the panel were afraid to make a deal. For Kevin O’Leary and Daymond John, it was because the entrepreneurs didn’t work full-time on the product.

However, Barbara Corcoran loved the product and offered the contestants $250,000 for a third of the company. During the bidding war, the entrepreneurs made a mistake by not responding to her offer and instead looking for another one from other Sharks. Unfortunately, no other Shark came forward with another offer. Mark Cuban decided to let it go, as he simply did not wish to hustle on the product, and Lori Greiner, who is a lover of non-vegan products more than their vegan alternatives, said that the product was still in the R&D stage.

John soon interrupted, “I’m so nervous for you guys because I’ve noticed you haven’t answered Barbara at all, and generally, people just lose deals at this point.” In their response, the entrepreneurs stated that they had imagined Corcoran to be one of the top Sharks. “I’m not so sure I believe you right now,” John replied. Entering the next stage, the entrepreneurs made a counteroffer, asking Corcoran to come down to 28%, but she stuck to her original offer. The duo went on to accept the offer.