The Dough Bar Update | Shark Tank Season 9

Ondrea and Marques Fernandez, a health-conscious couple, struggled to find treats that wouldn’t compromise their fitness goals. As a result, they created The Dough Bar, offering protein-packed doughnuts as a healthier alternative to traditional fried and sugary treats. In our Dough Bar update and pitch recap, we’ll now take a look at which shark showed interest in making a deal.

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

Ondrea and Marquez entered Shark Tank Season 9, seeking $300,000 in exchange for 15% equity in their healthy donuts. After making their presentation, they struck a deal with Barbara Corcoran for $300,000 in exchange for 20% equity.

In terms of The Dough Bar update, following their appearance, sales surged through the roof. However, various challenges eventually forced them to slow down and temporarily close operations. They have promised to return to business in the future.

Shark	Result
Barbara Corcoran	Accepted offer of $300,000 for 20% equity
Alex Rodriguez	$400,000 for 30% equity
Lori Greiner	$300,000 for 20% equity
Robert Herjavec	No offer
Mark Cuban	No offer

Shark Tank The Dough Bar Pitch

• Entrepreneurs: Ondrea Fernandez and Marquez Fernandez
• Business: Healthy donuts
• Ask: $300,000 for 15% equity
• Result: $300,000 for 20% equity
• Shark: Barbara Corcoran

Ondrea and Marquez wowed the sharks with their protein-packed donuts, asking for $300,000 in exchange for 15% of their company.

Their main focus was to grow their business and improve the shelf life of their product.

The Dough Bar set out to change the donut game by creating something indulgent and healthy, perfect for fitness lovers with a sweet tooth.

Unlike regular donuts, theirs are baked, not fried, which helps cut down the fat.

In addition, their donuts contain more protein, appealing to those who want to eat healthier but still enjoy a treat.

They’re also big on transparency, clearly labeling all the nutritional info on the packaging so customers can easily track their calories and macros while still enjoying something delicious.

After explaining their business, they handed out samples, which the sharks seemed to like. For instance, their glazed donuts have 200 calories, while the plain ones contain 150 calories.

Additionally, Ondrea and Marquez pointed out that their donuts stay fresh in the fridge for 3-4 days.

A box of four costs $15.50, and shipping ranges between $6 and $9. With a strong profit margin of 53%, they generated $1.2 million in sales from June 2015 to January 2018.

They expected to hit another $1 million in sales for 2018, which definitely caught the sharks’ attention.

Furthermore, they explained that they needed the investment to ramp up their marketing and work on extending the product’s shelf life to 3-4 weeks, much longer than the current 3-4 days.

Barbara Corcoran asked about their repeat customer rate, which was 31%. She offered $300,000 for 30% of the company.

Lori Greiner then made her own offer: $300,000 for 20% equity.

Mark Cuban and Robert Herjavec weren’t interested and dropped out.

Guest shark Alex Rodriguez came in with $400,000 for 30% and suggested teaming up with Lori.

Ondrea and Marquez countered by asking if Barbara and Lori would join forces and offer $400,000 for 30%.

In the end, after a bit of negotiation, Barbara agreed to 20%, and they closed the deal.

With a deal in hand, let’s get The Dough Bar update to see how Ondrea and Marquez are doing.

Shark Tank The Dough Bar Update

Our research on The Dough Bar update revealed that the deal with Barbara successfully closed.

Since then, The Dough Bar’s sales have surged, reaching nearly $2 million within just nine months.

With Barbara Corcoran’s guidance, the entrepreneurs opened The Doughnut Club Bakery in Fort Collins, Colorado, in April 2019. 

However, by October, our The Dough Bar found that they filed for bankruptcy and closed the location due to debt from their move to Colorado.

The Doughnut Club reopened in June 2020, expanding its menu to include protein-packed items like cinnamon rolls and monkey bread.

The business grew, operating four locations by 2021. Unfortunately, the pandemic forced these stores to close.

In May 2022, the couple stepped away from the business to care for their newborn daughter, who suffered serious health issues. They halted operations but hinted at a future return. 

Further, at the time of writing, their domain is still active, suggesting a potential comeback.

Hopefully, this won’t be our final The Dough Bar update.

You can find the other company updates from Season 9, Episode 20 here:

• Shower Pill Update
• ChangEd Update
• Snapclips Update

Before you go, check out our Shark Tank Season 9 page for more updates.