Where Is Must Love From Shark Tank Today?
Calories aside, enjoying a bowl of dairy-rich ice cream is a much-welcomed indulgence for many Americans. Yet with the expanse of the dairy-free market, there are now many plant-based options that may not only be healthier but taste just as delicious. Among the plethora of vegan recipes that will make you want to go plant-based, consumers have a lot to choose from when it comes to frozen, dairy-free confections. According to Grand View Research, the plant-based frozen dessert market is growing by leaps and bounds year after year. With so many products available, finding a brand that uses clean ingredients proves to be an important factor for many dessert lovers.
Buttermilk claims lactose intolerant friends Hannah Hong and Mollie Cha began their foray into plant-based desserts in 2016 when they developed a banana-based frozen dessert company, Hakuna Banana. In 2018, the friends went even further, starting an oat milk-based line of frozen desserts labeled Totes Oats. Insider describes how the friends' businesses gained traction in 2019 after winning $100,000 from the prestigious Stacy's Rise Project. A year later, the two smaller companies merged under one name — Must Love. Even though Must Love products had already seen a lot of success from the start and established a presence in many supermarkets such as Whole Foods, the two best friends were looking to further expand their business across the nation so they headed to "Shark Tank" in 2022.
What did the Sharks think of Must Love?
Why make your own version of banana ice cream at home when you can buy a clean convenient product with all of your favorite ingredients at your nearest supermarket? Lots of consumers seemed to be enjoying the innovative Must Love product line. When Food Business News announced Hong and Cha's rebranding into one company, they made a point to note some of the entrepreneurs' several accolades since starting their business venture in 2016. Before heading to "Shark Tank," the best friends were able to win Whole Foods supplier of the year and an award at Natural Products Expo West.
The duo appeared on "Shark Tank" on Season 13, Episode 11 in early 2022 (via IMDb). Hong and Cha presented their unique line of products to the Sharks which included pints and frozen dessert bars with a frozen banana or oat base. According to Shark Tank Recap, the friends were hoping to score $600,000 for 7.5% of their business. Even though all of the sharks enjoyed the taste of Must Love products, they didn't enjoy the fact that the friends experienced a $400,000 loss after making $1 million in sales over the last year. The deal was too risky for the on-screen investors. The last shark to drop out was Lori Greiner, who had just made a previous deal with a company too similar to Must Love. Hong and Cha left the set of the popular ABC show with no deal.
Where is Must Love now?
Delicious, soy-free vegan ice cream isn't a myth, especially if you enjoy frozen bananas. Since debuting on "Shark Tank," company owners Mollie Cha and Hannah Hong have made significant strides in assuring their business's ongoing success. According to the website, all of the brand's one-of-a-kind products are made from simple, easy-to-pronounce ingredients and come with a base of oats or bananas. The company has quite a following on social media as well.
The brand's Instagram page currently has 13,800 followers and over the last consecutive year, the brand has successfully released some new fun products. In August 2022, the company released a limited-edition birthday cake-flavored ice cream with a bright blue oat base featuring the brand's very own dye-free sprinkles. Then in November 2022, the company debuted the release of its new frosted cookie line on social media. While Must Love features 13 plant-based products on their website, most of them are currently sold out. Luckily the website also features a "find us" tab, sharing that Must Love plant-based frozen desserts are available at several Sprouts Farmers Market locations and many independent grocers nationwide.