Joe’s Gourmet Fish Fry Update | Shark Tank Season 9

Joe’s Gourmet Fish Fry, a unique breading mix, gained popularity at local events but struggled to achieve wider distribution. Founders Joe and Maranda Dowell have decided to expand beyond catering and are seeking a shark’s help to elevate their product from regional success to national recognition. In our Joe’s Gourmet Fish Fry update and pitch recap, let’s see if any of the sharks are interested in this business.

If you’re short on time, here’s a quick overview of what happened to Joe’s Gourmet Fish Fry after Shark Tank.

Joe and Maranda Dowell entered Shark Tank Season 9, seeking $150,000 for 15% equity in their fish breading mix business. After their pitch, they secured a deal with Daymond John for $150,000 for 25% equity.

In terms of a Joe’s Gourmet Fish Fry update, the deal with Daymond ultimately fell through. However, the Dowells continued to grow their business. They started a franchise, expanded their product line, and opened a new location. All this has led to annual revenue of around $5 million. 

Shark	Result
Daymond John	Accepted offer of $150,000 for 25% equity
Kevin O’Leary	No offer
Lori Greiner	No offer
Mark Cuban	No offer
Robert Herjavec	No offer

Shark Tank Joe’s Fish Fry Pitch

• Entrepreneurs: Joe Dowell and Maranda Dowell
• Business: Gourmet fish fry
• Ask: $150,000 for 15% equity
• Result: $150,000 for 25% equity
• Sharks: Daymond John

Joe and Maranda Dowell entered Shark Tank seeking an investment to expand their delicious and easy-to-use fish breading mix, Joe’s Gourmet Fish Fry.

Their goal was to take it beyond the Southeast and onto dinner tables nationwide, allowing anyone to create restaurant-quality seafood at home and avoid expensive restaurant visits.

Joe’s Gourmet Fish Fry is a seasoned breading mix designed to create crispy, restaurant-quality fried fish at home. 

The mix simplifies the cooking process by eliminating the need for additional ingredients like eggs or flour; users simply dip their fish or shrimp into the mix before frying. 

This convenience comes with a health benefit – the formulators design the mix to absorb less oil, making the final product lighter and less greasy.

Beyond its ease of use and health-conscious design, Joe’s Gourmet Fish Fry has a unique flavor profile achieved through a special blend of seasonings. 

This blend is perfect for both seafood enthusiasts and those seeking a simple weeknight meal solution.

When Kevin O’Leary asked about their numbers, the couple revealed that a bag costs $1.75 to produce, wholesales for $2.25-$2.50, and retails for $5. 

They reported lifetime sales of $409,000, with $270,000 generated in 2017 alone.

Part of the growth was due to a significant milestone: securing distribution in hundreds of Walmart locations just seven weeks prior to taping. 

Kevin O’Leary was impressed with the company but felt the valuation was too steep, so he dropped out. 

Lori Greiner liked the taste but didn’t see it as an investable business and also opted out.

Mark Cuban and Robert Herjavec also decided to pass. 

However, Daymond John offered $150,000 for 25% equity. The couple countered with 18%, but Daymond would not budge.

Regardless, they happily accepted his offer and looked forward to their partnership with him.

Let’s see if this partnership with Daymond was the right move for the couple in our Joe’s Gourmet Fish Fry update.

Shark Tank Joe’s Gourmet Fish Fry Update

Our Joe’s Gourmet Fish Fry update reveals that the deal with Daymond fell through.

However, the business continued to thrive, with orders surging shortly after their episode aired. 

In May 2018, they launched a gluten-free fish fry mix on Good Morning America, which led to a boost in sales.

By October 2018, their fish fry mix was used in Stop & Shop’s seafood department fry program. By the end of the year, their products were sold in over 2,500 grocery stores. 

In 2019, our Joe’s Gourmet Fish Fry update found that they began selling frozen Southern fried shrimp on QVC, which later became available in grocery stores throughout the Midwest, South, and Southeast.

Later that year, they opened Joe’s Gourmet Fish and Chicken in Lithia Springs, Georgia, and followed with a second location in College Park in 2021.

However, it appears that the second location is closed now. 

In 2021, our Joe’s Gourmet Fish Fry update found that they partnered with Walmart to offer restaurant franchises within Walmart locations.

Despite reports of $5 million in annual revenue in 2022, there have been recent signs of a slowdown. 

At the time of writing, products are available on the website but are unavailable on Amazon and Walmart.  

We will keep you posted with any additional Joe’s Gourmet Fish Fry updates.

You can find the other company updates from Season 9 Episode 16 here:

• G.O.A.T Pet Products Update
• Duderobe Update
• The Longhairs Update

Before you go, you can find more updates on our Shark Tank Season 9 page!