Where Is Potato Parcel From Shark Tank Today?
Americans love potatoes, and while we could stop there, we won't. It's just too intriguing. According to Farmer's Almanac, Americans generally consume 120 pounds of potatoes yearly and keep coming up with new ways to cook them. From fries to tots, baked potatoes to scalloped, and hashbrowns to roasted potatoes, the ways to cook this popular root vegetable are almost endless. Maybe that's why one crazy idea involving writing on potatoes, which may seem odd, made it onto an episode of "Shark Tank."
The Potato Parcel business was pitched to the show's investors by Riad Bekhit and Alex Craig. As seen on "Shark Tank" episode 805, the concept allowed people to send anonymous messages via potatoes. According to CNBC make it, Craig got the idea in 2015 after seeing a picture of potatoes with stamps on them. To test it out, he bought potatoes and pens, set up a website, and then began selling potato messages online. But how did the idea work, how did it do on the show, and where is it today?
The Potato Parcel pitch
Potato Parcel allows customers to send messages written on potatoes. The messages can be anonymous or not, and they can say anything except "hateful, harmful, or threatening messages," according to the Potato Parcel website. After you place your order, the potato arrives to the intended recipient within 48 hours. Prices ranged from $9.99- $14.99, with $4.99 shipping.
On their "Shark Tank" pitch, Bekhit claimed that they made $10,000 a month in sales, selling around 12,000 potatoes. That meant, that since they began the business, they had made more than $210,000. This impressed the sharks, who thought the duo were joking at first. They were seeking a $50,000 investment, with a 10% return. Bekhit was the sole owner of the company, having bought it from Craig, who was receiving $1 per potato at the time of the show, Heavy. says. Potato Parcel received investment offers from "Shark Tank" investors Kevin O'Leary and Robert Herjavec, with O'Leary's offer winning, per CNBC make it.
Potato Parcel is going strong
Potato Parcel is going strong, and USA TODAY reports that O'Leary has made a lot of money from the deal, calling it "the best pitch for the worst product." Per Insider Growth, Potato Parcel has accumulated a net worth of $1.75 million — that's a lot of potatoes! The company has even branched out in what it can offer customers and now offers photo messages, glitter bombs, various gift bundles, potato squishy toys, cards, socks, and more. Customers can even create video messages for recipients.
According to the website, you can ship internationally to Canada, Europe, the United Kingdom, and Australia. They even take an economic and environmentally friendly approach — for each potato they sell, they will donate one potato to local food banks. And the company encourages customers to plant their potatoes and share videos of it on social media. The company is also looking for international "Ambassadors." This program gives folks from across the globe the opportunity to own a Potato Parcel. It seems this was another "Shark Tank" success story.