The Truth About What Happened To Wanna Date? After Appearing On Shark Tank
Melissa Bartow was on a mission to spread her dating philosophy. Thankfully for the "Shark Tank" judges, she wasn't introducing yet another dating app into the already saturated match-making market. Because Bartow was all about spreading the fruit and not the love. So, did the sharks Wanna Date? Or did they gobble the entrepreneur up and spit her out like a discarded pit?
Bartow came in strong, boasting about enjoying several dates a day — causing Daymond John to raise an eyebrow. However, the judgemental looks turned to jovial laughter after Bartow made her big reveal, introducing her "line of date-based spreads that are natural, vegan [and totally] allergen-free." Bartow elicited "Wows" from the sharks when she gave them an impromptu gun show, flashing her impressively toned biceps and claiming the dates "power me through my workouts and keep me energized all day long." She announced that her date spreads come in four flavors: chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon, and pumpkin spice, all at just 30 calories each.
"So sharks, no more cheating on your diets, what y'all say? Wanna Date?" she asked sassily. "I'd definitely love to try it," a grinning Mark Cuban admitted. Bartow had given an engaging and cheeky pitch. She was seeking $100,000 for 20% of her fledging company. The sharks looked ready to bite. So, what happened to Wanna Date? after appearing on Shark Tank? Did it go on to great success, or was it left rotting on the studio floor?
What happened to Wanna Date? on Shark Tank?
Even the notoriously aggressive Kevin O'Leary was eating out of Melissa Bartow's hand like a playful little kitten following her energetic and fun Wanna date? pitch. She served up huge trays of samples to the sharks. "Oh yum!" Barbara Cocoron exclaimed. "Here's a fact Melissa, you may not know," O'Leary announced. "The date fruit, along with camel milk, can sustain a human being indefinitely. It's one of the healthiest fruits on earth," he mansplained.
Time for business. Bartow shared she'd pulled in around $31,000 in ten months. She explained she'd just graduated from NYU and thrown herself full-time into the company. Daymond John wanted to know how she could afford to live in Manhattan. It's a conundrum that would've had even the Central Perk locals scratching their heads (Monica inherited her gran's rent-controlled apartment, in case you've always wondered). Bartow also had a little help from her friends — well, family. "My dad supports me," she admitted.
Bartow said that each unit costs $2.40 to produce. "That's a lot," Mark Cuban interjected. She said the product sold for a whopping $12 a jar. The sharks of "Shark Tank" smelled blood and began circling. John was the first out. Lori Greiner was next. Cocoron followed but first, she schooled Bartow on being privileged and not enough hungry to succeed. Ouch. The entrepreneur was reduced to tears. Mr. Wonderful exited next. Cuban threw a lifeline, though, offering $100,000 for a 33% share. Deal done.
Wanna date? after Shark Tank
After Barbara Cocoron tore a strip off of Melissa Bartow, accusing her of being a privileged rich kid, the budding entrepreneur was reduced to tears and left fighting her corner. She explained that she worked tirelessly and would pay her dad back 100%. Bartow addressed Cocoron's vicious takedown on her Instagram. "So blessed to have a father who taught me the value of hard work, a good attitude and who raised me to stand up for myself. Happy Father's Day to all the supportive dad's out their ambitious, kick-ass kids," she captioned a clip of the infamous shark attack.
Meanwhile, Mark Cuban had believed in Bartow and struck a deal. According to Shark Tank Blog, Cuban and Bartow's agreement was finalized in August 2020. The Mavs owner was initially skeptical about the company's product range, believing Bartow should only focus on a date-flavored spread. But she clearly won him around. The company website lists a range of new products, including chocolate, birthday cake, and snickerdoodle-flavored cookie dough.
Bartow posted a humorous one-year update video on YouTube. And in another dig at Cocoron, her dad even made an appearance. "It's been a frickin' ride, to say the least," she said. "Thanks, you rock." Shark Tank Recap reports that thanks to Cuban, Wanna Date? is now available through Amazon, select Whole Foods stores, health food shops nationwide, and the company website. They estimate Wanna Date? had pulled in around $4 million in sales by May 2022.