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Wanna Date represents a line of vegan spreads that are oil-free, dairy-free, and have no added sugar. Wanna Date offers low-calorie, sugar-free, nutrient-rich, vegan-friendly sauces from dates.
Company Name | Wanna Date |
Entrepreneur | Melissa Bartow |
Product | Dates-based alternatives to jams and nut butter |
Investment Asking For | $100,000 For 20% equity in Wanna Date |
Final Deal | $100,000 For 33% equity in Wanna Date |
Shark | Mark Cuban |
Episode | Season 11, Episode 11 |
Business Status | In Business |
Website | Wanna Date Website |
What Is Wanna Date?
Wanna Date is a vegan spread that is oil-free, dairy-free, and contains no added sugar. Wanna Date is a nut butter spread that contains dates, one of the healthiest foods known to man.
Wanna Dates increase a person’s disposition and energize them. It is easily interchangeable with sugar. Each serving of Wanna Date contains only 30 calories.
The four varieties of Wanna Date nut butter are Cinnamon, Pumpkin Spice, Chocolate, and Vanilla. A single jar of Wanna Date Nut Butter costs approximately $12. It is an oil-free, vegan, and sugar-free mixture for keeping a balanced diet and a sweet appetite.
Wanna Date natural sweetener can replace sugar in baked goods such as cookies, muffins, crepes, and other baked goods like bread and muffins.
Who Is The Founder Of Wanna Date?
Melissa Bartow is the founder of Wanna Date. She graduated from New York University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Entrepreneurship and worked as a magazine photographer, food vendor waiter, and brand ambassador.
Melanie still works for her business full-time, which she runs alongside her investor partners.
Melisa ran into dates at college in New York and immediately fell in love with them. She believed they fulfilled her needs: naturally sweet, healthy, mood-enhancing, and body-energizing.
Her only disappointment came when she discovered they had added sugar to ostensibly healthy menu items while interning with a food vendor in college.
When she inquired whether dates could be substituted for sugar, she searched the market but came up empty.
After purchasing a food processor, her dorm room became a test lab for her date butter.
Wanna Date was formed due to experimentation with extra ingredients and positive feedback from friends.
After creating a few labels, Melissa raised roughly $10,000 via the crowdfunding website Indiegogo.
She then took her product to market, selling online and shipping directly from her dorm room after self-teaching herself using Google’s Business 101.
Eventually, Melissa began seeking investors to expand her manufacturing and reach a wider market.
How Was The Shark Tank Pitch Of Wanna Date?
Melissa appeared on Shark Tank seeking an investment of $100,000 in exchange for a 20% stake in her Wanna Date. Melissa discusses her business and provides samples before delving into the numbers.
Melissa Bartow does not get enough dates. Her company started as a way to get some chocolate dates and vanilla dates, but now she makes it into a product for everyone.
Melissa begins her pitch so everyone thinks she’s talking about going on dates, not the product.
Fortunately, Melissa quickly clarifies that she is not talking about dates; she is talking about dates. Melissa Bartow reveals the product line she is developing, Date Butter and Spreads.
According to Mark Cuban, Melissa loves dating. She loves the idea of having dates all over everything.
Melissa wanted to make sweet date butter or spread with flavor combos such as chocolate and vanilla.
She also makes date butter that tastes like pumpkin pie and has cinnamon. These are low-calorie, vegan, without added sugar, and made without fat.
Wanna date butter and spreads are something that health food enthusiasts would love. They are so sweet, and sharks are eager to try their products.
Melissa has sold $31,000 in date spreads in the last ten months, mostly through wholesalers and fairs.
Daymond John is the first person to withdraw from the relationship. He believes that the company is too young and cannot satisfy all consumers.
Melissa will not be able to tell the story of her company; he is concerned that the product will not be memorable for customers.
Lori Greiner says that she does not feel the company is established enough for her to remain with it, so she pulls out.
Barbara Corcoran has another problem with Melissa and her company. She would like to date more people around the world. Melissa says that her father pays her rent, and she does not want to work for someone else.
She recently graduated from New York University, and working on dates has become her full-time job.
Barbara states that she doesn’t see any hungry people. People want to have dates.
Melissa is still supported by her father and therefore does not need to work as hard to become successful.
Barbara thinks Melissa does not have any motivation and so she leaves. Melissa is ready to combat the sharks.
Melissa tells them that she is aiming for a big success and that the company will succeed. Melissa has never quit trying to make things happen.
Kevin O’Leary is concerned with the company’s value and thinks it is too early for it to be worth that much. He decides to walk away. Consequently, Kevin O’Neill is out.
Mark Cuban wonders why not butter or spread for a date-making that anyone could use. People love dates.
Melissa says she’d like to make date butter or date spread. Mark offers $100,000 for a 33% stake in the Wanna Date.
Melissa seems like she is going to counter. Melissa accepts the offer because she wants to work with Mark. Melissa agrees and takes Mark up on his offer.
Final Deal: Mark Cuban agrees to invest $100,000 for a 33% stake in Wanna Date.
What Happened To Wanna Date After Shark Tank?
Wanna Date Shark Tank premiered in January 2020. Even in the face of a pandemic, the NYU grad has remained dedicated to his work.
Wanna Date is spreading the word all over the world. Although the company is small, its sales have steadily grown.
Melissa received orders after the episode ran, and she could fill them thanks to Mark’s deal. Wanna Date sells its products online, on Amazon, and in select Whole Foods stores.
Many of the stores that sell Wanna Date are health food stores owned by local businesses. The total sales of Wanna Date have now reached $4 million since its inception.
Wanna Date Shark Tank Update
Some customers have posted very positive reviews about Wanna Date on Amazon. Some customers complain that the product tastes too salty and the texture is too soft.
Some people complain that they are receiving expired products. It may be best to buy Wanna Date in person rather than online.
Wanna Date can be purchased in several stores in California and Nevada, including Whole Foods Markets in Los Angeles, Orange County, Sacramento, and San Diego. They also expect to expand to other states soon.
The deal between Mark Cuban and Wanna Date looks to have been completed in August 2020. The startup introduced Date Dough, a dough you can add water to and use to bake delights.
You can order Chocolate, birthday cake, and snickerdoodle tastes from Wanna Date. We wonder if she ever made it to that Mavs game because of the Covid-19 outbreak.
Wanna Date is available in 128 supermarket shops around the Midwest, including Whole Foods Market. Wanna Date sales throughout a lifetime are $4 million.
Is Wanna Date Still In Business?
Wanna Date is still in business, with its headquarters in the greater New York metropolitan area.
They are available online through e-commerce websites such as Amazon or seven storefronts across the country. In addition, they’ve agreed with Whole Foods to stock its products in its aisles.
What Is the Net Worth of Wanna Date?
The valuation of Wanna Date was $500,000 when it appeared on Shark Tank. The net worth of Wanna Date is estimated to be $4 million.