Paper Tacos Greeting Cards Update | Shark Tank Season 16

Jesús Ruvalcaba came up with the idea for Paper Tacos while shopping for a birthday card for his mom. At the store, he noticed that none of the cards reflected the cultural traditions he grew up with, like singing Las Mañanitas or saying “sana, sana, colita de rana.” That gap led him to create a greeting card line that speaks to real Latino experiences with humor and heart. Can his culture-based idea win a shark over? Let’s find out in our Paper Tacos update and pitch recap.

If you’re short on time, here’s a quick overview of what happened to Paper Tacos after Shark Tank.

Jesús entered Shark Tank Season 16, seeking $120,000 for 10% equity in his greeting card company. After his pitch, he secured a deal with Mark Cuban for $120,000 for 25% equity.

In terms of a Paper Tacos update, the company is now in over 200 retail stores, including 20 El Super stores.

Shark	Result
Mark Cuban	Accepted offer of $120,000 for 25% equity
Daniel Lubetzky	$120,000 for 30% equity
Lori Greiner	No offer
Barbara Corcoran	No offer
Kevin O’Leary	No offer

Shark Tank Paper Tacos Pitch

• Entrepreneur: Jesús Ruvalcaba
• Business: Greeting card company
• Ask: $120,000 for 10% equity
• Result: $120,000 for 25% equity
• Shark: Mark Cuban

Jesús walked into Shark Tank asking for an investment in his greeting card company, Paper Tacos.

During his pitch, he shared examples from his upbringing. He talked about mariachi music on birthdays, the “mordida” cake tradition, and sayings like “sana, sana, colita de rana.” 

These phrases show up on his cards. That connection resonates with customers, who often say, “That’s what my grandma used to say.”

In addition, he designs 85% of the cards himself and works with freelance artists for the rest.

Customers can buy the cards in 190 boutique stores and through a new deal with a regional grocery chain that has 55 locations.

Moreover, wholesale makes up 90% of his sales. Only 10% comes from direct-to-consumer orders.

Barbara Corcoran questioned the state of the greeting card industry, saying she believed it was shrinking. Jesús disagreed and said the market is growing.

He mentioned over six billion cards sold last year, generating between $6–7 billion in revenue.

Kevin O’Leary, who invested in one of Shark Tank’s most successful card companies, LovePop, agreed.

Jesús said he made $13,000 in sales in 2022, $68,000 in 2023, and had already hit $152,000 in 2024. He expects to finish the year at $188,000 with $60,000 in profit.

Each card costs $0.57 to produce. He sells them for $5.50 direct-to-consumer and $2.75 wholesale, usually in packs of six.

Meanwhile, Barbara asked how much of his own money he invested. Jesús said just $2,500.

Guest shark Daniel Lubetzky then asked whether major greeting card companies had Hispanic product lines. Jesús said yes, but their cards lack authenticity.

He said the investment will help fund influencer marketing and buy a digital press. That press would allow him to print in-house and raise profit margins by $0.14 per card.

Kevin showed interest but said he couldn’t invest due to his current ties to LovePop.

In contrast, Daniel suggested partnering with Kevin, but Kevin declined, saying it would be a conflict. Still, Kevin believed the business had potential.

At this point, Daniel offered $120,000 for 35% equity. Barbara recommended Jesús walk away from all offers and keep growing slowly.

She believed outside money might complicate things too early. Mark Cuban agreed. He said Jesús was already profitable and should keep scaling at his own pace.

However, Daniel pushed back, saying Jesús needed help to break into major Hispanic retail chains. He offered his connections and experience in distribution.

Lori Greiner also stepped out but encouraged Jesús to consider Daniel’s offer seriously.

Jesús countered with 15% equity, but Daniel declined. He said the work involved required more ownership. Jesús then offered 25%. Daniel countered again with 30% equity.

Mark asked how long it took Jesús to secure the 55-store chain. Jesús said it took just three months. Mark asked if he could do that again with a larger chain. Jesús said yes.

At that point, Mark stepped in and said he would take the deal of $120,000 for 25% equity. Jesús accepted immediately.

To find out what happened next for his company, keep reading our Paper Tacos update.

Shark Tank Paper Tacos Update

Our Paper Tacos update found that since Shark Tank, the company launched a test run in 20 El Super stores and targeted further expansion into more grocery chains across Southern California and Texas.

Further, the exposure from Shark Tank gained media coverage from The Salinas Californian and Yahoo News, highlighting its focus on Latino culture in the greeting card market.

At the time of writing our Paper Tacos update, cards are sold in over 200 stores and have made sales across all 50 U.S. states.

Cards can be purchased through the Paper Tacos website.

We can’t wait to watch the company grow and bring you another Paper Tacos update.

For other company updates from Shark Tank Season 16, Episode 15, look below:

• History By Mail Update
• Future Circus Update
• CowPots Update

Before you go, be sure to check out our list of all the Shark Tank Season 16 products.