Burlap & Barrel Spices Update | Shark Tank Season 14
While working with farmers in different countries, Ori Zohar and Ethan Frisch noticed a big problem: small spice farmers were being paid very little, even though they grew amazing spices. These farmers couldn’t make a fair living, and the spices often lost their freshness before reaching customers. To fix this, they started Burlap & Barrel, a business that pays farmers more and brings fresher, better spices to people’s kitchens. Let’s see how the negotiations go for Ori and Ethan in our Burlap & Barrel update and pitch recap.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick overview of what happened to Burlap & Barrel after
Ori and Ethan entered
In terms of a Burlap & Barrel update, the company attracted significant media attention, featuring in top publications such as Bon Appétit and The New York Times, and expanded its retail presence through partnerships with various retailers.
| Shark | Result |
| Kevin O’Leary | $500,000 for 10% equity plus a 20% royalty on all sales until he recoups $1 million |
| Barbara Corcoran | No offer |
| Gwyneth Paltrow | No offer |
| Mark Cuban | No offer |
| Lori Greiner | No offer |
Shark Tank Burlap & Barrel Update
- Entrepreneurs: Ori Zohar and Ethan Frisch
- Business: Spice Company
- Ask: $500,000 for 5% equity
- Result: No deal
- Sharks: None
Ori and Ethan came into
They explained they needed the funds to scale production, expand their product line, and bring their high-quality, sustainably sourced spices to more home cooks and restaurants.
Burlap & Barrel is a sustainable herb and spice business offering a variety of high-quality spices, herbs, and spice blends.
ROYAL CINNAMON: Harvested around the ancient Vietnamese capital city of Huế for millennia. Royal Cinnamon is an heirloom variety very rarely exported, and it exemplifies the intense sweetness and spiciness for which Vietnamese cinnamon is prized.
Their product range includes over 75 different types of spices. These include heirloom cinnamon from Vietnam and wild black peppercorns from East Africa.
The company sources these spices directly from small farmers around the world, bypassing traditional middlemen.
By partnering with farmers, Burlap & Barrel guarantees fair compensation, paying farmers two to ten times more than they would typically receive from large food companies.
This approach not only supports equitable trade but also results in spices that stand out for their flavor and freshness.
They focus on providing home cooks with access to exceptional spices, herbs, and blends that are typically unavailable in supermarkets.
Burlap & Barrel delivers the spices directly to customers’ doorsteps. Moreover, they sell the spices in 2-ounce or 16-ounce jars directly to consumers, making premium spices easily accessible to everyone.
Their goal is to change an old system that separates spices from the people who use them.
By cutting out middlemen, they get better quality spices. This approach ensures farmers are paid more than they would receive from big food companies.
The sharks try the spices and are impressed. Guest shark Gwyneth Paltrow says the cinnamon tastes much better than regular cinnamon.
In addition, Burlap & Barrel offers 75 different spices. Of their sales, 85% come directly from customers, while 15% are from bulk sales to restaurants and grocery stores.
The spices cost about $2.50 to bring in, and they sell them for around $9.99. So far, they’ve made $12 million in total sales.
In 2017, they made $100,000, in 2018 it was $250,000, in 2019 they hit $600,000, and in 2020, their sales reached $3 million.
By 2021, they made $5.1 million, and they expect to make $6-$7 million in 2022. They earn a profit of about 10%.
Mark Cuban congratulates them on their success, but since he doesn’t know much about the spice business, he decides not to invest.
Lori Greiner likes their products but thinks the market is too crowded, so she’s out.
Barbara Cocoran thinks the company is valued too high and leaves the deal.
Gwyneth says the spices are great but hasn’t heard of them before, which makes her hesitant, so she’s out as well.
Ori and Ethan then focus on Kevin O’Leary, offering him a chance to create a line of spices under his name.
Kevin offers $500,000 for 10% of the company, plus 20% royalty on all sales until he makes back $1 million. After that, the royalty would stop.
Ethan counters with $500,000 for 5% equity, 20% royalty for the “Mr. Wonderful” spices, and 10% royalty on affiliate sales.
Kevin doesn’t accept the counteroffer and decides to walk away. With no deal, in the end, Ori and Ethan leave empty-handed.
Let’s see if the sharks’ rejection discouraged Ori and Ethan from pursuing their business in our Burlap & Barrel update.
Shark Tank Burlap & Barrel Update
Our Burlap & Barrel update found that in 2022, the company surpassed $5 million in sales, and projections for 2023 indicate revenues exceeding $9 million.
The company garnered significant media attention. It was featured in prominent publications such as Bon Appétit, The New York Times, and The Washington Post.
Burlap & Barrel expanded its retail presence by partnering with various retailers, including the Los Angeles Times, to offer their products to a broader audience.
A notable endorsement came from celebrity chef Marc Murphy, a judge on Chopped, who became a collaborator with Burlap & Barrel.
Burlap & Barrel’s product offerings expanded after
They also increased their focus on offering gift sets, capitalizing on consumer interest in unique and sustainable food products.
At the time of this writing, the company has paid over $1.7 million to its farmers since the company’s inception in 2016.
Despite not getting a deal, Ori and Ethan managed to scale their company.
Once we receive any news about their progress, we will let you know in our next Burlap & Barrel update.
Do you want to learn about the other companies featured in Season 14 Episode 19? Follow the links below for our other company updates from the episode.
Before you go, check out our Shark Tank Season 14 page for more updates.
Jeremy is a regular contributor at Shark Tank recap. He has a ton of passion for the show and enjoys researching information about what all the companies are up to now. His favorite Shark Tank companies are The Cookie Dough Cafe and Kronos Golf!