Where Is Nana Hats From Shark Tank Today?
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Healthline tells us that bananas are a major source of potassium for many people. In fact, if your doctor tells you that you need more of the K symbol on the periodic table, you might try adding a banana or two to your regular diet. However, the yellow fruit can also be a source of nuisance for people who aren't so quick to eat them after buying. Even when it seems like you've picked the greenest bunch of bananas in the entire supermarket, they seem to turn brown only mere seconds after you blink.
While this may be an exaggeration, bananas do, in fact, have a quick ripening process, which can cause buyer's remorse when you're forced to dump the spoiled fruit into the trashcan. According to Dole, bananas contain a natural plant hormone called ethylene, which rapidly causes them to turn brown as they ripen. Small brown spots are indicators that bananas are ripe and ready to eat. Of course, it's not just the peel of the bananas that can turn brown. The very flesh of the banana itself will eventually turn a similar color.
Although brown bananas are usually still safe to eat (so long as they don't contain any mold yet), such a look isn't especially appetizing. As a result, many people have sought to find ways to slow the ripening process. Dole recommends keeping bananas in a dry and cool place away from sunlight, but of course, other solutions exist. Before you're forced to use your overripe bananas to make banana bread, you might try this simple solution from ABC's "Shark Tank."
Nana Hats scored a deal
According to founder Sean Adler, Nana Hats was started as a way to slow down bananas' ripening process in as fashionable and whimsical a manner as possible. Nana Hats are BPA-free crochet silicone caps that are placed on the stems of bananas, according to its website. As Adler shared with the Sharks, he came up with the idea for Nana Hats in 2016 after a trip to the grocery store went rotten when the bunch of bananas he bought quickly turned brown.
Before appearing on "Shark Tank," Nana Hats were already gaining attention. In September 2020, Adler created a Kickstarter campaign to help raise funds for his invention, and it didn't take long for him to realize there was definite interest in the product. By the time the campaign ended, he had raised a total of $4,761 from 148 people. While that may not sound like much by "Shark Tank" standards, it's a sizable sum of money for a very small product. Luckily, the caps are reusable, and Adler claims they keep bananas "fresher for longer and with fewer unsightly brown spots."
Adler appeared on "Shark Tank" in Season 14, Episode 6 (via YouTube), where he sought $150,000 for a 10% stake in Nana Hats. Businessman Kevin O'Leary agreed to Adler's original proposal, but he wanted a $1 royalty for each hat sold. Businesswoman Lori Greiner and Guest Shark Peter Jones were interested in investing in the brand, offering Adler $150,000 in exchange for a 30% share of Nana Hats. With a little back-and-forth between Adler, Greiner, and Jones, they all landed on a deal of $150,000 for a 20% stake in his company.
People are going bananas for Nana Hats
Not long after Nana Hats' episode of "Shark Tank" aired, it seems like people went absolutely bananas for the nifty little product. According to BestProducts, Nana Hats sold out its entire inventory on Amazon less than 48 hours after ABC viewers got their first look at it. While we don't have exact figures on the amount of business the company managed in the aftermath of "Shark Tank," it seems obvious that the series gifted the tool a lot of good publicity.
The banana hats are still available for purchase on its website. The hats come in various designs, such as octopi, monkeys, unicorns, Vikings, watermelons, and more. For those less enthused with the chipper designs, Nana Hats also offers two sets of differently-sized silicone two-packs, neither of which come with an accompanying smiley face. The hats usually cost customers $12.99 per pack, but they are on sale for $10.99 at the time of this writing. Nana Hats are also available to purchase on Etsy and Amazon for $10.99.
Nana Hats appears to be still in business, and the company has gained a significant following on social media, such as Instagram and TikTok. The company has over 23,000 followers on Instagram. Nana Hats has an even larger fanbase on TikTok, with nearly 62,000 followers and over 105,000 likes across the account. Founder Sean Adler typically posts whimsical videos promoting Nana Hats as well as clips of customers using the products.