Pili Hunters Keto Nuts Update | Shark Tank Season 11
Pili Hunters nuts is a unique story that started in a hotel room, with ten pounds of nuts from the Philippines. Entrepreneur Jason Thomas has already done well for himself and in our
Shark Tank Pili Hunters Update
- Entrepreneur: Jason Thomas
- Business: Keto nuts, butter, and chocolates
- Ask: $325,000 for 10% equity
- Result: No deal
- Shark: None
While most entrepreneurs start with a memorable, flashy pitch, Jason Thomas got right to the point. During a trip to the Phillippines, he found out about pili nuts, a delicious, low-calorie, high-fat nut. Some research revealed that no one in America uses these unique nuts in their products.
He brought ten pounds of pili nuts home from his trip and immediately set about building his business. These nuts are great for keto and paleo. They are vegan and vegetarian and can be used to make a variety of nut butter, snack nuts, and even chocolate bars.
Jason’s numbers said it all: he’s done over $2.5 million in sales since starting the company 4.5 years ago. When he first started, he was packaging Pili Hunters snack nuts in a hotel room! In the four years since he had created jobs and had the chance to expand his business.
The sharks loved the products and enjoyed the samples, but they had some concerns. Guest shark Daniel Lubetzky and Mark Cuban were the first sharks to drop out, mostly because of the nightmare that would come with obtaining a steady supply of nuts. Daniel, the founder of KIND, stated that integrating new nuts into existing product lines rarely works. Scaling and branding would be difficult unless he owned pili nut plantations.
Lori Greiner loved the product, but it just wasn’t right for her. Kevin O’Leary had an issue with the company’s valuation and worried about growth. Robert Herjavec was out as well, with some advice for Thomas: focus on one product, instead of creating a whole line right away.
Mark Cuban was the only shark left. He thought that Jason Thomas was incredible and that he had achieved the American dream. However, he thought that Jason needed a full team to properly expand the business. Mark wasn’t willing to provide it and dropped out.
Pili Hunters walk away without an investment, but how is the company doing after
Jason Thomas and his amazing pili nuts have been featured in a host of magazines and publications, including Paleo Magazine Radio, Vogue, and more. Despite not getting a deal for his product while on
The nuts are now sold through the Pili Hunters website, as well as on Amazon and in many small storefronts across America. During our Pili Hunters update, we found an interview with Jason Thomas for My Brand Journey. He states that in 2020, the company was making about $1.3 million in revenue a year.
You can find the other company updates from Season 11 Episode 6 here:
Don’t forget to take a look at our Season 11 products page! We’ve got more company updates from
