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Jesse Wolfe founded O’Dang Hummus as a college student, a series of hummus sauces offered in salad dressing bottles. He adores hummus and believes that everyone else should as well.
Jesse Wolfewas perplexed that hummus could be liquefied given its versatility as a marinade, dip, or salad dressing substitute.
His objective for producing O’Dang Hummus was to produce a hummus that would blow everyone’s socks off and introduce a new dimension of hummus variety.
Wolfe had to alter his diet while his mouth healed after having his wisdom teeth removed in 2011. He ultimately became weary of milkshakes and was suggested hummus by his girlfriend.
He did the first thing to craft his flavors and share them with others, eventually discovering which ones everyone adored.
Wolfe was encouraged to enter a venture competition by a lecturer at the University of Central Florida, where he studied business management and entrepreneurship. Jesse competed with his hummus and placed third.
Seeing how much his hummus was enjoyed by everyone, combined with his ability to rank third in a venture competition, gave Jesse the confidence to sell his hummus at surrounding farmer’s markets.
He chose Orlando’s Lake Eola Farmer’s Market; however, the waitlist was two years long.
Jesse didn’t waste any time bringing his hummus directly to the woman in charge and requesting that she sample it.
Rather than waiting two years to sell at the Lake Eola Farmer’s Market, the woman in charge allowed him to begin selling the week after tasting Jesse’s hummus.
What is O’Dang Hummus?
O’Dang Hummus is a delicious and nutritious dressing that is made from chickpeas. This hummus contains only 25 calories per serving, about a third of the calories in regular hummus.
All their hummus salad dressings are oil-free and will last up to two years. Because of this, the dressings are not only healthy, but they also look good in your pocket.
O’Dang Hummus dressings are delightful and come in various flavors, from Lemon Caesar to Balsamic Feta to Greek Tzatziki. The website has many recipes for this delicious dressing.
O’Dang Hummus sets out to dispel those myths by providing the best hummus in the world.
Many people enjoy hummus and eat it as a snack or side dish. Some see Hummus as a portion of healthy food, but many find its flavor unappealing and aren’t interested in experimenting with it.
Company Name | O’Dang Hummus |
Founder | Jesse Wolfe |
Product | Hummus Salad Dressing Line |
Investment Seeking | $50,000 For a 10% stake in O’Dang Hummus |
Final Deal | $50,000 For a 20% stake in O’Dang Hummus |
Shark | Lori Greiner And Robert Herjavec |
Business Status | Out of Business |
Website | Visit Website |
Who is the Founder of O’Dang Hummus?
Jessee Wolfe is the founder of the O’Dang Hummus Food Spreads and Salad Dressings, which made its Shark Tank debut on Friday, October 2, 2015, in Episode 702.
As Wolfe declares, he intends to create the Ben and Jerry’s of the salad dressing industry with his O’Dang Brand. With his versions of the healthiest salad dressings on the market, Jessee is shaping the future of salad dressing.
Unlike other sauces, O’Dang Hummus begins with a naturally creamy foundation derived from crushed chickpeas.
Wolfe has thus far “recreated” four of the most popular salad dressings available, including Ranch Dressing, Caesar Salad, Hummy Mustard, and Bomb-A-Licious Buffalo Sauce.
Is it feasible to produce delicious Ranch Dressing without utilizing any dairy products? To be sure, O’Dang Hummus reviews indicate that its version of Ranch Dressing tastes even better due to its use of all-natural ingredients.
Jesse Wolfe, the founder of O’Dang Hummus, had his wisdom teeth out in 2012 and became bored with milkshakes and soup during his recovery.
He decided to try something different and to start eating hummus. Although he thought it to be quite enjoyable, he was astonished to discover that just a few flavors were available, even though they had been there for years.
To improve the dish’s appeal, Jesse began experimenting with his variants of hummus. He quickly discovered he had hit upon a popular concept by adding a few ingredients to enhance the flavor.
His girlfriend began bringing his homemade hummus to work and distributing it with her coworkers, and the response from the impromptu test group was overwhelmingly positive.
Jesse, a University of California, Florida student, spoke about the event in his lectures and was motivated to enter UCF’s annual entrepreneurial challenge, dubbed ‘The Joust.’
Jesse entered the competition with his business plan and came in second place. As a result, he won a $15,000 check that allowed him to launch the O’Dang Hummus company on a relatively good financial base.
Jesse faced a challenge getting his goods into competitive places at local farmers’ markets. A janitor was bribed $25 to get him to the market organizer, but the entrepreneur set up shop in the Lake Eola farmers market.
The fair’s organizer was so taken with Jesse’s hummus that she decided to waive the two-year waiting period and allow him to begin selling at the market just one week later.
Jesse had grand ambitions for his firm; sales climbed to the point where his products were sold at ten farmers’ markets, but he desired to develop the business to the point where it sold its products nationwide, which would take a significant investment.
Jesse applied to Shark Tank in mid-2015 and prepared his pitch, but he is still sure that the samples he took for the producers ultimately earned him the opportunity to pitch to the sharks. Jesse’s application was approved, and he made his television debut in October 2015.
How was the Shark Tank Pitch of O’Dang Hummus?
Big Jesse Wolfe appeared on Shark Tank requesting an investment of $50,000 for a 10% stake in O’Dang Hummus. At the beginning of his pitch, he introduced his dream of a “Hummus Empire” to the sharks.
He informed the prominent business figures that the popular taste of Hummus had been enjoyed for more than 900 years, although it had a “past its expiration date” flavor.
But suddenly, there was a method of eating hummus that was fresh and appealing for the modern-day. O’Dang Hummus, with its new flavor varieties, offered a choice of delicious options.
Jesse told the Sharks that he planned to deliver flavors opposite to what they expected and that he intended to transport their taste buds to Flavortown with his dish.
The Sharks loved it because they were tired of playing on crappy artificial turf, but Jesse had more fun things to look forward to than everything about hummus. O’Dang Hommus has only 30 calories per serving, which supports his claims.
The hummus containers provided three times as much as conventional varieties, so “Boom goes the dynamite!” he said to highlight that you still only consume one-third of the calories of other hummus options.
They wanted the samples immediately after the pitch was finished. Jesse had samples ready for each of them, and they all enthusiastically began product testing without being prompted.
The challenge with the business was that it was in the refrigerated foods section, the most competitive of all sectors, and in the category with the highest overheads.
Kevin O’Leary mentioned that the samples seemed to go down well, but he observed that this might be because it was the season when shoppers were getting ready for Thanksgiving. Jesse reluctantly admitted, “Good point,” but had more to say to the sharks.
He soon handed over samples of the new salad dressings, which contained hummus and were very well received by the sharks.
Jesse then mentioned that while his salad dressings may last up to two years, they didn’t have any oil. They couldn’t believe what they had heard about their salad dressings.
Jesse had even better news: His oil-free salad dressings were “going nuts” at retail, and he had an upcoming meeting with Publix supermarkets to make a deal to put his product in 1,100 locations in six states.
Kevin O’Leary wondered what year-over-year sales he’d get if the Publix transaction was approved.
Jesse assured Kevin that his business would make at least $3 million in sales. He was convinced that the deal was finished since Publix would offer his products.
The sharks (including Kevin) were impressed, although Kevin was still skeptical about the Publix deal.
Jesse wanted to know why Public would make a massive investment, like launching their salad dressings at every 1,100 locations instead of just a few.
Jesse had a suggestion for gaining support for his products: He put up a flyer on his Facebook page that customers could print out and bring into Publix stores.
Jesse wanted to showcase his range’s following by having these customers use the flyer to gather feedback from Publix employees and fellow customers about how they felt about the product line.
Barbara Corcoran admitted it was a clever marketing strategy, but Jesse added that the idea had “gone rogue” (as he was grinning).
He informed the sharks that after a Facebook fan sent many O’Dang Hummus requests to Publix, the retailer’s profile was shut down.
He knew that Publix had been notified about his visit. Jesse had been told this by Publix when he spoke to them again a few days later.
Mark Cuban made his thoughts known. Jesse’s dad informed Jesse that his black bean salad dressing was delicious, and, with a spoon in hand, he claimed that he was confident that Jesse had a great angle.
Kevin wanted to know about Jesse’s product pricing. Jesse has said he sees 40% profit margins for each transaction, even those he gets through retailers.
Jesse wanted to lower his prices if he could grow his firm by getting a shark’s funding.
Jesse, a veritable ball of excitement and positivity, spent much time talking with the sharks. Jesse, whose energy was relentless and unstoppable, was almost unstoppable when speaking to the sharks.
Jesse’s mother intended the compliment, but Barbara thought Jesse didn’t understand what he was signing up to.
She informed him that she was heavily involved in many food companies, and thus she had a good idea of how difficult it is to be successful in such a competitive field. She thought Jesse didn’t realize how complex the challenge would be.
When the entrepreneur told her he was up to the job, Barbara couldn’t be convinced even after he pleaded with her to believe him.
She informed him that she distrusted him because he had little experience in the market, and she also thought he was gullible. Barbara left after that.
Robert Herjavec had been taking a different take because he said he would put a bid. In exchange for 15% equity in the business, he’d provide $50,000.
Jesse thanked Robert for making him an offer, but Robert didn’t allow him to examine it. However, Kevin O’Leary seemed thrilled to get him a deal, giving Robert a quick thanks.
It turns out that Mr. Wonderful got an offer, too. He offered to provide $50,000, with a 20% equity stake, if Robert Herjavec could convince one of his associates to join him.
He stated that he knew much more about the food sector than Robert Herjavec and would be a more valuable partner in the business.
Lori was considering making a third bid due to Jesse’s interest in the firm, appealing to Lori. Jesse advised that she might pair up with Robert and present him with a joint proposition.
Lori happily agreed to a business deal with Robert, but she requested to split 25% of the equity.
Jesse looked elated when he made a deal with Lori, but he was displeased when he had to give up 25% of his business to close the deal. He asked Lori whether she and Robert would be okay with a 20% stock stake.
“You realize I’m still in, right?” Mark Cuban asked Jesse, who was caught off guard by the statement.
Robert Herjavec tried to seal a deal before Jesse could meet with Mark Cuban. He responded, “I would do that,” about his 20 percent equity counteroffer to Jesse. Lori replied, “Done,” right away to Jesse.
Jesse offered Mark Cuban one last glance but then looked at Robert and Lori and replied, “Done,” thereby finishing the transaction.
Jesse shook hands with the new partners and exited the tank after Mark Cuban told Barbara, “I would have given him $100,000 for 20 percent,” which was far too late to turn things around.
Robert states he is angry at Kevin and Barbara’s food product triumphs on Shark Tank; he wants to purchase 15% of a company for $50,000.
Kevin is making an offer of $50,000 in exchange for 20 percent. Jesse requests that Lori collaborate with Robert on a project; in exchange, Lori is paying her $50,000 for 25% of the profits.
Lori and Robert agreed to invest $50,000 for a 20% stake in O’Dang Hummus. Mark claims he’s on board, but Jesse declares the deal is closed and gives Lori and Robert the green light.
Final Deal: Lori and Robert agreed to invest $50,000 for a 20% stake in O’Dang Hummus.
What Happened To O’Dang Hummus After Shark Tank?
Since Jesse’s first appearance in the tank, the O’Dang Hummus business has been slowly rising. Jesse and the Sharks discussed an agreement with Publix Supermarkets Inc, and in late 2015 Publix announced they would carry Jesse’s salad dressings line in 1,106 stores in six states, though they have not yet begun stocking the hummus line.
Additional good news for O’Dang Hummus came in early 2016 when Jesse announced on the company’s Facebook page that he had inked an agreement with WholeFoods Market to sell all of his products at their Florida locations.
Jesse hopes to grow his connection with Wholefoods in 2016 and eventually have his products available in all of the retailer’s locations countrywide. Walmart appears to be similarly prepared to provide consumer goods in 2017.
In a January 2016 interview, Jesse offered to advise fellow entrepreneurs looking to expand their businesses. He tells them to speak with others and seek guidance.
His standard opening salvo is, ‘What is your name? What do you do?’ He reassures other entrepreneurs that they may be speaking with the CEO of a vast company and unaware.
Jesse’s advice is to ‘Network, network, network,’ and never be too busy to see whether someone else may assist you in growing your business.
O’Dang Hummus went out of business in 2020. Jesse is currently at the helm of Wolfepack Ventures, a dynamic consulting and investment firm specializing in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) food and beverage sector.
Did O Dang Hummus Get a Deal on Shark Tank?
Jesse appeared on Shark Tank in 2015 to market his hummus salad dressing brand. He was seeking $50,000 in exchange for a 10% interest in the business.
He acquired the funds he requested for a 20% interest from Lori Greiner and Robert Herjavec. He had sold $70,000 worth of O’Dang Hummus at the moment, and his Facebook fans had brought Publix’s website to a halt.
Is O’Dang Hummus Still in Business?
O’Dang Hummus was available at Walmart, some Kroger locations, Roundy’s, and all 1,200 Publix locations, among other retailers after its appearance on Shark Tank.
Their redesigned dressings include a silkier texture and a more assertive flavor profile. All their other products contain no GMOs, eggs, gluten, or sugar. They now offer egg-free mayonnaise.
However, the company went ceased its operation in January 2020. O’Dang Hummus is out of business as of 2024.
The valuation of O’Dang Hummus was $500,000 when it appeared on Shark Tank. O’Dang Hummus; net worth is effectively $0 since the company is out of business.