Wanna Date? Update: What happened to Melissa Bartow’s business after Shark Tank?

Melissa Barlow's date spreads brand Wanna Date? came on Shark Tank in 2020, on season 11 episode 11. The brand was loved by all the panelists including Barbara Corcoran, Mark Cuban, Lori Greiner, Daymond John, and Kevin O'Leary but no one came ahead with offers except Mark Cuban. He offered the money Melissa was looking for, at a higher stake of 33%, which she accepted and the brand has never looked back since.

Melissa's small brand got an overwhelming response after its appearance on Shark Tank led to its promotion; and a gazillion positive feedbacks, which resulted in its sales skyrocketing. The brand which sold healthy spreads, launched new flavors thereafter, and also digressed into the business of dough mixes; both of which proved fruitful for the business.

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What happened to Melissa Bartow's business Wanna Date? after Shark Tank?

The 'Shark Tank effect' really worked when it came to Melissa's brand because of its health benefits, affordability, and taste. Their sales went up incredibly overnight after their appearance on Shark Tank. Her products then got listed in Whole Foods and Home Goods.

The pandemic hit shortly after Melissa's episode aired, which cut people's access to everything except grocery stores. Wanna Date? got even more traction there because people were down to try new things in their free time at home.

The growing demand for the products got Wanna Date? to launch two new flavors namely Cookie and Original, which also were greatly loved. Melissa launched Wanna Date? Doughs are available in Chocolate Brownie, Birthday Cake, and Snickerdoodle flavors.

The dough line features ingredients such as coconut, almond flour, and dates, and was only launched after the brand surpassed the $10,000 Kickstarter campaign goal, which is a testament to the brand's rise in popularity after Shark Tank.

And even though Melissa has never commented about the net worth of the company, Foodrepublic reported it to be up to $2 million. Wanna Date? was able to achieve such a feat after business tricks such as free shipping, 10% off on a bundle of four or more, and an affordable rate that starts from $12 a jar and goes up to $14 for a dough mix.

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Melissa Bartow's Journey to Shark Tank

It might be hard to believe for some but Melissa hadn't tasted dates till she moved to New York to attend college, as per the Wanna Date's official website. In what she calls a "Love at first bite" Melissa fell for the fruit when she tasted the juicy Mediterranean version of it.

The website states, that while working at a smoothie shop during her college days in 2017, Melissa took notice of all the unhealthy sweeteners that are added to healthy foods nullifying their health effects. She then thought of using dates as a replacement for sweeteners and came up with the product in her dorm room.

She successfully raised $2250 on an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign in 2018, which grew her business enough to catapult it on Shark Tank. Introduced as a replacement for nut butter, spreads, and syrups, Wanna Date? was instantly appreciated as the healthier alternative by the panelists. Melissa went home with a deal from Mark Cuban who offered her $100,000 for a 33% stake in her company.

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New episodes of Shark Tank season 15 air every Friday on ABC, at 8 pm ET.