What Happened To The Bang Shack After Shark Tank?
Interestingly, many of the best foods we've seen on "Shark Tank" didn't start out planning to make it big on TV or in supermarkets. Some products, like the Bang Shack's dips, had a rather humble start in someone's home kitchen, and found their way into our hearts — and stomachs.
Such was the case for Jason Hadley, who started the Bang Shack after preparing some chicken dip for a networking event back in 2002. From there, he developed two other dips, one vegetarian and one vegan. At the time of his "Shark Tank" pitch in 2019, Hadley offered three Bang Shack dips and was hoping he could upgrade from selling them at farmers' markets to selling them in national supermarkets. He appeared on the show seeking $80,000 for a 20% stake in his company.
So how did Hadley and his dip due while in a tank full of hungry sharks? And how is Bang Shack doing today?
The sharks nibbled at the Bang Shack, but didn't bite
Prior to Jason Hadley's pitch on "Shark Tank," he had made $53,000 in sales in 2017 alone. However, red flags were raised for the sharks upon finding out that the Bang Shack was not yet available online. Hadley explained that his website was finished, but because he was unable to ship product while maintaining its freshness, he couldn't open up online ordering.
As a result, Hadley and his wife continued to sell the Bang Shack dip at farmers' markets, making it from scratch each week and keeping it warm in crock pots. He pointed out that shipping his dips at that stage just wasn't feasible, which was why he wanted the sharks' help in scaling up. Hadley wanted to get into a commercial kitchen to produce the Bang Shack dips in bulk, and eventually get into supermarkets and grocery stores.
Shark Kevin O'Leary noted that building the necessary infrastructure to mass-produce the Bang Shack dips would take more time and money than he was willing to offer, even while Hadley argued that he could put in the work. In the end, the sharks questioned why the Bang Shack hadn't progressed any further with Hadley claiming to be as passionate about it as he was, and he left the tank without an investment.
The Bang Shack opened a brick-and-mortar
Despite leaving "Shark Tank" without a deal, Jason Hadley did receive plenty of advice from the sharks — enough to make a few changes moving forward. In addition to selling at local farmers' markets, the Bang Shack opened a tiny brick-and-mortar location in downtown Hollywood, Florida. Unfortunately, even that wasn't a straight-forward process, as Hadley was only able to finish the project with the help of a $50,000 grant from the Hollywood Community Redevelopment Agency.
Once the Bang Shack was finally open, Hadley created a menu with items like Shrimp Bang Pasta and the Breakfast Bang Bowl, as well as his different Bang dips. In an effort to further expand, Hadley started discussions with various commercial packers, including one in Maryland, but the plans ultimately fell through.
Hadley didn't let that stop him, though, and he instead refocused on the Bang Shack's sales through its brick-and-mortar and farmers' market vendors. As of 2019, he had the Bang Shack's website up and running, and was even allowing online orders through the likes of UberEats and Postmates.
Is the Bang Shack still selling its dips in 2023?
As of summer 2023, the Bang Shack is still posting regularly on its Facebook page. The business appears to have shifted into a sports-bar-esque spot, offering beer on draft, DJs, and a TV to watch the game. That being said, the Bang Shack's website has since been taken down, though its social media profiles still include the link. Several customers seem to have noticed, instead having to ask on Facebook whether or not the dips could be shipped.
The Bang Shack still seems to be available on Postmates and UberEats, however, for those who live in the Hollywood, Florida, area. All in all, it would appear that the Bang Shack has — for the most part — returned to its roots, selling its dips only in-house and at local farmers' markets. Even if this is the case, Geeks Around the Globe estimates the company's net worth to be around $1.6 million, which isn't too shabby for the lack of online sales.
Where does the Bang Shack go from here?
The Bang Shack has a load of potential, given the goals Jason Hadley shared during his "Shark Tank" pitch. He has not yet made commercialization a reality, but who's to say he won't? Plus, there's always the possibility of expanding to additional farmers' markets, or even opening a second brick-and-mortar if sales are going well enough.
Of course, Hadley hasn't spoken much recently as to where the Bang Shack is headed, but we can speculate that he'll be adding more menu items. The Bang Shack still sells its three original dips — a chicken dip, a vegetarian dip using zucchini, and a vegan dip using cashews — but Hadley could very well be experimenting with other vegetarian and vegan recipes. The possibilities are truly endless, but no matter which path the Bang Shack goes down, we know that Hadley will be there with a smile and a bangin' product.