What Happened To Chicken Salt After Shark Tank?
If you've visited Australia, you may have taken a bite of a fast food fry and wondered why it was so much more flavorful than its American counterpart. That extra flavor comes from chicken salt, which is Australia's default fry seasoning. Chicken salt was invented at a chicken shop in Gawler, South Australia in the 1970s and was used to season, you guessed it, chicken. The first recipe contained chicken bouillon to bump up the chicken flavor, but it was later adjusted to be vegetarian and vegan-friendly.
JADA Spices co-founder Khasha Touloei grew up in Australia and explained on "Shark Tank" that he wanted to bring his favorite childhood seasoning to the United States, but in a healthier way. He noted that even the vegan versions of the salt were very high in sodium. To solve this problem, he created a line of vegan products with his co-founder and engineer, Maynard Okereke. The pair appeared on "Shark Tank" in November 2020 and impressed the Sharks with their seasonings' flavor.
What the Sharks thought of Chicken Salt
Entrepreneurs Khasha Touloei and Maynard Okereke gave a dramatic "Shark Tank" pitch for their line of vegan chicken salts, which included a caveman "evolving" to use their seasoning instead of regular old salt. The seasonings' flavor seemingly lived up to their presentation's hype, and the Sharks were impressed. The company's co-founders reported that in 2019, JADA Spices sold $319,000 worth of products, and they projected this would jump to $500,000 in 2020. The Sharks were also impressed with Chicken Salt's margins, as each jar cost less than $1 to produce but sold for anywhere between $4.99 and $8.99.
With those impressive numbers behind them, the entrepreneurs asked the Sharks for $250,000 for 20% equity. Overall, the panel enjoyed the flavor of the company's products, including its new Plant-Based Chick'n Mix. Lori Greiner was especially impressed by the mix but didn't think it was far enough along for her to invest. Barbara Corcoran, on the other hand, raved about the product and said it "tasted just like chicken." She offered $250,000 for 33% equity, and the pair agreed to the deal.
Where is JADA Spices now?
Since their "Shark Tank" appearance, JADA Brands' founders are leaning more into their company's Plant-Based Chick'n Mix than its Chicken Salt. The company's old website, chickensalt.com, now redirects to the parent company's website, jadabrands.com. This website places the Chick'n Mix front and center and highlights different flavor packs such as Barbecue and Mediterranean. According to JADA Brands, the seasonings and plant-based chicken packs can be found in Whole Foods, H-E-B, Sprouts, Central Market, and online at Amazon.
The company got a nice boost when Valerie Bertinelli featured chicken salt on an episode of "Valerie's Home Cooking". The Food Network star made homemade potato chips sprinkled with turmeric chicken salt, and while she didn't specify which brand she was using, she did explain how she loved the seasoning's flavor and anti-inflammatory benefits. This level of exposure may have helped JADA Brands launch another new product, its Plant-Based Porkless Mix. By May 2022, the company reportedly had $4 million in revenue.
Is JADA Spices still in business?
Even years after its "Shark Tank" appearance, JADA Brands seems to still be going strong. Its website has many items available for purchase, and of course, its spice mixes are still available in many varieties. The Turmeric Salt is offered in Original, Lime, Barbecue, and Red Pepper flavors, as is the Chicken Salt, which also has a Reduced Sodium alternative. Two-packs and five-packs are also available. Additionally, the website offers the Plant-Based Porkless Mix and the Plant-Based Chicken Mix in Original, Mediterranean, and Barbecue flavors.
While the brand hasn't announced any developments or new products since 2021, it seems the company has continued selling the core products that took "Shark Tank" by storm. The company also offers sales and deals on its website — it was even featured on CBS Morning Deals in August 2023, proving that the minds behind JADA are always in search of new Chicken Salt fanatics. Although it's been a while since the brand gave its existing fans any news, some may be on the way shortly.
What's next for JADA Spices?
JADA Brands posts regularly on its Facebook and Instagram accounts, sharing meatless recipes for everything from vegan tacos to Vegetarian Chick'n Casserole. On November 20, 2023, its Instagram account shared a post hinting that something big was in store for the brand. An image of a jar of Turmeric Salt next to a jar of Chicken Salt was accompanied by a caption that read, "You may have noticed a few new changes on our end, so yes a lot of exciting new things are in the works! We at JADA are still here to provide [y'all] with the same best tasting and healthy products you've come to expect. Stay tuned as we have many delicious updates on the way!"
What exactly is in store remains to be seen, but from the sound of it, there could be some new JADA products heading fans' way. While it's safe to assume that the brand will update its website and social media accounts when news is available, it also offers an e-mail newsletter to keep fans informed.