Here's What Happened To Chef Big Shake Foods After Shark Tank
Resilience, perseverance, and enthusiasm are valuable traits to possess, regardless of your station in life. But, sometimes, they might just help expedite your career — especially when you're showcased on national TV and millions of people are exposed to your business product pitch.
"Shark Tank" has seen its investors bet on winners and losers over the years. And, occasionally, an entrepreneur presents a promising business venture that, for whatever reason, receives no offers and then still goes on to experience financial success without their backing. Shawn Davis, aka Chef Big Shake of Chef Big Shake (CBS) Foods, is one such example. In 2011, Davis appeared on Season 2, Episode 1 of "Shark Tank," where he requested an investment of $200,000 for a 25% equity stake in the CBS Foods brand. Despite sampling and mostly complimenting his flagship shrimp burgers, every shark declined to make Davis an offer.
The rejection didn't deter Davis, who started cooking in a professional kitchen at age 12 and nurtured lofty aspirations of distributing his shrimp burgers in grocery stores nationwide. And, while his pitch may not have fully sold the sharks on his company, it did manage to convince some other investors that Chef Big Shake possessed that elusive "it" factor, per Shark Tank Success.
Chef Big Shake makes the big time
A group of angel investors was impressed by Shawn Davis, aka Chef Big Shake, and his "determination to succeed" so much so that they made him an offer he couldn't refuse: $500,000 for an equity stake in CBS Foods, per Shark Tank Success. Within a year of investment, the products were being distributed in more than 800 grocery stores, primarily on the East Coast.
Davis' meteoric rise included a staggering increase in CBS Foods' sales, skyrocketing from $30,000 in 2011 to $5 million in 2012. Only a year and half after being featured on the program, his booming frozen foods enterprise could be found in 2,500 grocery stores. CBS Foods soon expanded to offer a line of lobster-themed products and veggie burgers.
In 2013, Davis and his wife, Robin, opened their first brick-and-mortar restaurant, Big Shake's Hot Chicken and Fish, in Franklin, Tennessee. It eventually grew into a franchise concept with multiple locations. Davis' rapid success even led to one shark publicly admitting he made a mistake in his skepticism of the shrimp burger concept. In a 2013 appearance on "Live with Kelly and Michael," Mark Cuban divulged that the one company he regretted not investing in on "Shark Tank" was CBS Foods. Now that's a big compliment.
A new Super Bowl favorite
Shawn Davis, aka Chef Big Shake, has continued to thrive ever since his "Shark Tank" appearance shined a spotlight on his culinary prowess. He now ships his signature Nashville hot chicken nationwide through Goldbelly.
Sweety High even named Big Shake's hot chicken and fish as one of its top recommended snacks to serve at the Super Bowl, citing the convenience of being able to order it through Goldbelly. The hot chicken and fish also received a plug in the San Francisco Bay Times during its March Restaurant Week feature.
One might say the pupil has become the teacher, as Chef Big Shake has shared tips and advice on how to turn a passion for food into a profitable business with several publications, including Money for Lunch and Today's Restaurant. He now offers the opportunity to become a franchisee of his Nashville hot chicken restaurants, giving others a chance to turn their love for food into a successful career. Not a bad run for a guy whose investment proposal was rejected by the sharks.