Here's What Happened To Yumble After Shark Tank
"Shark Tank" fans know it takes more than a good idea to land an offer from one of the discernable "Sharks" on the panel. For Episode 1005 of the show, the entrepreneurs vying for buy-in on their business proposals had a unique opportunity. According to the Shark Tank Blog, it was the first episode that featured two guest Sharks. Joining panel-regulars Mark Cuban, Kevin O'Leary, and Lori Greiner for the episode were Bethenny Frankel of "RHONY" and Skinnygirl Cocktails fame, along with "branding guru" Rohan Oza.
For entrepreneurs David and Joanna Parker, one of those guest Sharks appeared to bring the duo some luck. After the Parkers pitched Yumble, their healthy meal delivery service made for children, they walked away with an offer from Frankel to the tune of $500,000 for a 6% stake in the company (via Shark Tank Tales).
But while the kiddie-meal delivery service was on the receiving end of some good exposure from the episode, the offer it received wasn't exactly delivered as advertised.
Frankel's Yumble offer fell through
Entrepreneurs who brave the "Shark Tank" by appearing on the show and pitching a money-making venture have a shared goal in mind: to receive an offer from one or more of the business-minded Sharks. That's exactly what happened for David and Joanna Parker with their company, Yumble. According to Forbes, after pitching their health-conscious food delivery service fit for children, the Parkers and Bethenny Frankel had a "hand-shake deal ... but the deal never came to fruition."
Still, there was good news on the horizon for the Parkers. Forbes reports that the pair eventually secured initial investments for their meal delivery service, and it seems the attention they received after appearing on "Shark Tank" even helped the company grow. A look at Yumble's website reveals that the company is still in business and is offering subscriptions. Those include a long list of cooked and ready-to-reheat kid's meals made with "regionally-sourced fruits and veggies," including kid-friendly combos such as turkey sausage with eggs, pasta with broccoli, and chicken nuggets with mac n' cheese. The website advertises that subscription boxes even come with fun-for-kids items such as sticker sheets.
Customers' purchases, of course, add up to a fun-for-adults activity for the Parkers, too: counting their hard-earned money.
Yumble is getting good marks for making packaged lunches and feeding picky eaters
With so many food delivery services available nowadays, there's a need for companies to offer a distinguishing product. Apparently, Yumble is finding ways to stand out. Very Well Family reviewed 12 of the kids meal delivery services available today and declared Yumble the best service for packaged lunches, pointing out the lunch's positive qualities such as being shipped fresh, being ready to eat, and accommodating a wide range of ages. Among those "lunchbox ready" meals on Yumble's menu are a pesto chicken sandwich meal and a Canadian bacon and cheddar bagel.
Yumble has also been recognized as a good fit for little eaters who avoid some foods. Kids vs. Meals says that Yumble's "meals designed for picky eaters are the perfect way to get your stubborn toddler to take in some nutrients."
Of course, there are some caveats. According to Healthline, Yumble's delivery is only available in some areas of the country. Plus, there are limited breakfast selections, the meals aren't made in a facility that's certified allergen-, nut-, and gluten-free, and only one portion size is available for its offerings. Yumble may have been listening to that last piece of criticism. According to its Instagram account, larger portions labeled YumbleUp! were introduced in April for 8- to 12-year olds, indicating that one way for a child food delivery service to grow its business is to constantly learn new things, just like the kids it feeds.
Yumble took a summer break, and customers aren't happy
Yumble was a godsend for many parents for years, but in May 2023, it hit the pause button on production. In a May 18 Facebook post, the food delivery service company made the following announcement: "We are currently on summer break as we revamp the website and restock our lunchbags with delicious new options for your family!" The website shows a similar announcement, with an invitation to join the Yumble email list for more updates.
The news disappointed customers, with one commenting that she'd hoped to order some Yumble meals for camp. Yumble replied with the promise that it would "be back just in time for back-to-school season," but offered no alternative for summer camp meals.
Another customer also expressed some disappointment with the change in a more recent Facebook post. "Many school districts have 12-month school years now, and parents still need to send their kids off with snacks even if they aren't in school," they commented. "Plus you have an adult demographic that does not stop working that buys from you. Unfortunately, waiting until fall isn't an option for many of us so we will find another vendor." Yumble didn't reply to the comment.