Shark Tank Ka-Pop! Ancient Grain Chips Update 2026

Dustin Finkel pitched his healthy snack company during Shark Tank Season 11. Ka-Pop! products are made using the ancient grain sorghum. Will his experience in the food industry, plus his unique product score him a deal on Shark Tank Season 11? Find out in our Ka-Pop! update!

If you’re short on time, here’s a quick overview of what happened to Ka-Pop! after Shark Tank!

Entrepreneur Dustin Finkel appeared on Shark Tank Season 11 and left without a deal. In terms of a Ka-Pop! update, the company is still in business despite not getting a deal. Yearly revenue is around $5 million, and their products are available in Kroger’s, King Sooper, City Market, and Whole Foods.

Shark:	Result:
Lori Greiner	No offer
Kevin O’Leary	$350,000 for 17.5% equity
Barbara Corcoran	No offer
Mark Cuban	No offer
Rohan Oza	No offer

Shark Tank Ka-Pop! Update

Entrepreneur: Dustin Finkel
Business: Ancient grain popped snack chips
Ask: $350,000 for 5% equity
Result: No deal
Shark: None

According to Dustin Finkel, a food industry veteran and part-time superhero, he has found a gap in the ancient grains market. Sorghum, which is the base for Ka-Pop! is not only gluten free, but also allergy, and GMO-free.

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In addition to these great features, Ka-Pop! also comes in four flavors. They include the following: Rosemary Garlic, Salt & Vinegar, Vegan Cheddar & Garlic, and Olive Oil & Sea Salt.

When the sharks finally get Ka-Pop! their samples, they are absolutely blown away. The chips are actually really good! Further, Kevin O’Leary even states that these are the best gluten-free snacks he’s ever had.

The good news? Dustin helped launched one of the first gluten-free brands in the nation with General Mills. This certainly impresses the sharks!

However, he already has a lot of other investors, although most of them work on convertible notes rather than equity. The sharks, understandably, get nervous when they hear this.

Additionally, the company only made $150,000 in the previous year, which also isn’t great.

While Barbara Corcoran compliments Dustin’s salesmanship, she doesn’t think she can do anything more for Ka-Pop! She eventually drops out, and Mark Cuban follows out as well.

Then, guest shark Rohan Oza chimes in. He thinks it’s too early, plus the margins and sales aren’t enough for investing, so he is also out.

Meanwhile, Lori Greiner agrees with Barbara, saying she doesn’t really know how she can help. They’re both out, leaving Kevin O’Leary.

It turns out that Kevin doesn’t have an ‘ancient grain’ product in his portfolio, which is actually a huge selling point for him. He makes an offer of $350,000 for 17.5% equity.

Surprisingly, Dustin counters for $500,000 at 10% equity instead. Unfortunately, they can’t agree on a course of action.

Because of this, Ka-Pop! walks out of the Shark Tank without a deal, but what happens following the show? Keep reading our Ka-Pop! update to find out!

We have great news to share in our Ka-Pop! update! The company eventually went on to be featured in Forbes, Red Tricycle, and VegOut. Further, the product line has expanded to include multiple new flavors.

In addition to the flavors featured on Shark Tank, they also offer BBQ, Red & Green Sriracha, Dairy-Free Cheddar, and Dairy-Free Sour Cream & Onion. They also have limited edition flavors on a rolling basis, including Birthday Cake.

Our research also found that the company merged with Bubba’s Fine Foods. Together, they created Awakened Foods, a launchpad for new ancient grain food startups.

As of 2023, Ka-Pop! products are available in over 1,700 stores nationwide, including Kroger, King Sooper, City Market, select Whole Foods and more.

You can find additional company updates from Season 11 Episode 12 here:

For even more on companies and products, be sure to stop by our Season 11 products page!

Andrew Smith

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Andrew is a lifelong fan of Shark Tank and an entrepreneur at heart. He started Shark Tank Recap because he wanted a single place to track what happens to the companies, founders, and deals after they air on TV. With a sharp eye for business insights and a passion for all things Shark Tank, Andrew makes sure every recap is accurate, engaging, and fun.