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Mark Cuban couldn’t stop eating this ‘Shark Tank’ product — but his reason for saying no was relatable

These sisters revived their grandpa’s handwritten pierogi recipe, then took it all the way to ‘Shark Tank’

A Massachusetts-based pierogi business made its way to ‘Shark Tank’ this year, and brought everything it needed to prove itself worthy before the investors: an impressive story, good sales, and on top of everything, a delectable flavor. Appearing on the May 2, 2025 episode of the reality show, Jaju Pierogi had the judges impressed with their product, and even made one investor fall in love! It was none other than Mark Cuban, who truly loved the taste. However, he made a decision that shocked everyone. 

The business was founded by two sisters, Casey and Vanessa White, who came to ‘Shark Tank’ seeking $300,000 in exchange for an 8% equity stake in the company. After they were done pitching, the judges tasted the pierogi, and Cuban instantly felt a wave of nostalgia wash all over him. “I grew up on pierogi. One of the beauties of pierogi is it’s greasy and gooey,” he said, adding, “This loaded baked potato [flavor] is greasy and gooey.” However, Cuban refused to invest because he was trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle. “This is a great product. I love them. I ate too many of them, that’s part of the problem. I’d balloon to 600 pounds — I have no willpower when it comes to stuff like this, and I’d rather be a customer than an owner,” he said.

Pierogi are classic Polish dumplings that the White sisters describe as their “love language.” They told the judges that they had initially bought 40 boxes of pierogi to test at a market, and interestingly, they were all sold out within an hour. Meanwhile, CNBC reports that back when the sisters were on the show, Jaju Pierogi was in more than 2,500 grocery stores, which included Whole Foods, Sprouts, and Harris Teeter. Their company was projected to finish the year with $2.7 million in annual sales.  

Vannessa shared, “Growing up in western Massachusetts, we always had pierogi from our grandfather’s deli in our freezer. There was no mac and cheese. If we were hungry, grab some pierogi and fry them up in some butter.” This family tradition inspired them. "We dusted off our grandfather’s handwritten recipes and got to work, creating Jaju Pierogi,” she explained, adding that their company had recently suffered a huge loss. “Last year, we lost $100,000,” Casey told the sharks, adding, “We would have been profitable, but we didn’t negotiate for our contract with a large grocery chain like we should have ... I knew [in the] middle of last year that we were going to run out of cash, so that was the first time we had to raise money.”

When it came to making offers, judge Lori Greiner declined to invest because she didn't think she was the fit for the product. Daniel Lubetzky was also out since he had already invested in another food business, Toast-It, also owned by a sister duo, for which Jaju Pierogi would be a direct competitor. Meanwhile, Robert Herjavec told the sisters that he loved the product but would invest only if Lubetzky teamed up with him, since he had strong experience in the food industry. However, Kevin O’Leary offered $300,000 for a 20% equity stake, but there was one condition: Jaju Pierogi had to join his manufacturing company. This would give him “vertical strength” with another dumpling company in his investment portfolio. The sisters then tried to negotiate with a counteroffer, asking for $300,000 for 10% equity, but O’Leary rejected it. At the end of the day, Jaju Pierogi had to walk away without a deal.