Ashley and Kat Thomas appeared with a nutritious and healthy idea of Mush Oatmeal in the 12th episode of Shark Tank season 9. Their proposal of creating healthy Mush Oatmeal sparked interest among the sharks, with Mark Cuban sealing the deal for $300,000.
Both Ashley and Kat were food lovers and wanted to develop a healthy meal that promotes nutrient absorption and minimizes starch for better digestion.
Mush propelled their idea into reality as the duo received positive feedback on digestion, taste, and nutrition from the farmer’s market.
However, Ashley and Kat needed more investments to expand their business, leading to their appearance on the popular Shark Tank platform.
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What Is Mush Oatmeal?
Mush is a healthy oatmeal product containing beta-glucan fiber that improves cholesterol reduction and insulin resistance.
When soaked in dairy-free milk, this soluble fiber increases your body’s ability to absorb nutrients and aids in weight loss and digestion by breaking down starch.
Ashley and Kat developed this product after realizing that the market lacked a healthy food alternative, especially for busy individuals.
You can get Mush Oatmeal in different flavors like vanilla bean, wild blueberry, dark chocolate, and crisp apple.
After gathering positive feedback on their product from the farmer market, the duo head to the famed Shark Tank platform to pitch their business plan and hook one shark on board.
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| Company Name | Mush |
| Entrepreneur | Kat Thomas and Ashley Thompson |
| Product | Nutritious and healthy oatmeal |
| Proposal on Shark Tank | $300,000 for a 10% stake |
| Final Deal | $300,000 for 10% + unlimited line of credit |
| Shark | Mark Cuban |
| Shark Tank (Season/Episode) | Season 9/ Episode 909 |
| Business Status | Active |
Who is the founder of Mush Oatmeal?
Ashley Thompson and Kat Thomas co-founded Mush Oatmeal in 2015. The duo met in the finance industry, where Ashley worked as a trade analyst.
Ashley’s sister had Type 1 diabetes, which sparked her intention to develop healthy food in her early days. On the other hand, Kat was an avid food lover and wanted to create a nutritional solution for busy individuals.
Furthermore, most of the foods available in the market contain high sugar and spices, which are unhealthy and promote different health conditions. Likewise, eating outside food is not beneficial and can ruin your immune and digestive system.
The duo researched for days and finally decided to launch a food product backed by Ashley’s childhood hack of soaking oatmeal and cereal in milk.
Mush garnered positive responses from the farmer market, collecting favorable feedback on taste, nutritious values, and digestion.
This positive feedback propelled Ashley and Kat’s idea to launch Mush, which catered to the needs of millions of users who wanted a healthy and delicious meal.
Mush Oatmeal Before Shark Tank
Ashley Thompson developed a firm belief in healthy food from her early days. Her sister had Type 1 diabetes, which powered Ashley’s thoughts of creating nutritious and delicious food that could improve the lives of millions in this busy world.
Although beginning her career in the finance industry as a trade analyst, Ashley consistently looked for alternatives for nutritious food items.
While she explored many places like Wall Street for healthy food, she realized that it was hard to find nutritional food products.
The idea of developing a healthy food alternative became her passion, and she quit her job to bring her product.
On the other hand, Kat Thomas believed that health and wellness are the pillars of success, and without them, we have nothing. Kat met Ashley in the finance industry and soon shared their ideologies to develop a healthy and nutritious breakfast meal.
The duo began their entrepreneur dream by offering Mush at the San Diego’s farmer markets, garnering positive feedback. They introduced their products at Whole Foods Market, sparking their intentions to expand the business.
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How Was The Shark Tank Pitch Of Mush Oatmeal?
After receiving positive feedback from the farmer and Whole Foods markets, Kat and Ashley decided to expand their business.
However, they required financial assistance to reach global audiences, leading to their appearance on the popular Shark Tank platform.
The duo entered the Shark Tank platform with a proposal seeking $300,000 for 10% as they wanted to grow their retail business.
Kat shared her experiences of not finding healthy foods during her regular job as most food products had high sugar levels. She explained that most food products like protein bars, cereals, and yogurts contained excessive sugar.
Kat ended her proposal with a quote that the sharks should help the duo fight the number one enemy (sugar) and help distribute healthy and nutritious food globally.
The duo explained that Mush requires no cooking, and anyone can enjoy it without compromising the health benefits. Mush contains 100% natural ingredients, and the oatmeal never loses its beneficial elements as you don’t have to cook Mush.
The duo further elaborated on the health benefits of their product, stating that Mush is protein-rich, delectable, dairy-free, and ready to eat. Mush can solve the problems of finding a healthy breakfast in this busy world and will promote digestion and weight loss.
The duo then distributed samples to the sharks and proceeded with their yearly sales report before appearing on the show.
Ashley explained how they pushed their initial products at the San Diego’s farmer markets, which generated $72,000 in 2016.Mush enjoyed better results in 2017, with sales figures touching a nearly double figure of $120,000 in 2017.
After reaping positive feedback on taste and sales figures, the duo introduced Mush at Whole Foods Market, anticipating a whopping growth of $900,000 in 2018.
While the taste and proposal of Kat and Ashley impressed the sharks, Robert and Lori backed out without offering any deals. Robert cited that he had no interest in the food industry, while Lori exited, citing Rohan’s expertise in the food sector.
Since Rohan had expertise in the food industry, he pointed out that the retail price of $3.99 was too much for the product and asked Kat and Ashley to lower the cost.
Mark intervened, citing that Mush offered superior quality and convenience over other food products, and the retail price was justifiable.
However, Rohan was the first shark to offer a deal, calling a proposal of $400,000 with 20% stakes in the company.
An additional $100,000 could have propelled Mush to greater heights, but the 20% stakes held the duo from accepting the offer.
Meanwhile, Mark and Barbara joined the race and offered the proposed $300,000 at 10% stakes. However, Mark wanted an unlimited line of credit from the company.
Kat and Ashley accepted Mark Cuban’s offer after Mark informed them about his successful investment in a cookie firm that generates more than $8 million in revenue.
Final Deal: Kat and Ashley accepted Mark Cuban’s offer of $300,000 for 10% + unlimited line of credit.
What happened to Mush Oatmeal after Shark Tank?
After acquiring their proposal on the Shark Tank platform, Mush’s sales figures rose significantly, scaling new heights in orders. The abundance of orders chocked the supply line as the firm faced difficulties in providing more packaging.
Mark Cuban came to the rescue, provided a packaging supplier, and established a more extensive production facility to meet increasing demands.
The new production line was set up within 48 hours, ensuring a smooth demand and supply chain of Mush products.
You can find Mush products at various leading stores, including Whole Foods Market, 7-11 stores, and CVS locations. Furthermore, Mush products are also available on Amazon, and you can order this healthy and nutritious oatmeal throughout the country.
Mush Oatmeal has surpassed more than $2 million in sales since the Shark Tank episode with an update segment (1102) in the 11th season on the show.
In November 2021, Mush entered Costco’s Wholesale stores, adding another feather to their cap. By February 2022, Mush Oatmeal was valued at $4.5 million and still operates in various online and offline stores, providing healthy and nutritious food.
Mush Oatmeal update
Mush Oatmeal has grown into one of the market leaders in its category, fulfilling millions of orders for various online and offline stores. The firm employs a dedicated and passionate team of individuals who have identical goals of providing high-quality food products.
The brand has achieved a lot of success over the years and carters to the needs of millions of users every day.
Despite having a humble beginning, the vision and ideology of Kat and Ashley have propelled Mush to new heights, and appearing on Shark Tank was one of the significant steps for this growth.
Is Mush Oatmeal still in business?
Mush started its journey in 2015 to provide a healthy and nutritious lifestyle, especially to busy individuals.
The firm gradually experimented with the local farmer’s market in San Diego but expanded its reach to major chains like Whole Foods in 2018.
After generating $120,000 in sales in 2017 and introducing their products at Whole Foods, Kat and Ashley approached the Shark Tank platform to bag a deal with some of the industry’s biggest and most successful minds.
The duo gradually succeeded in hooking one shark from the platform as Mark Cuban offered $300,000 to expand the business line of Mush.
After securing the deal, Mush has never looked back, increasing its product portfolio to cater to the requirements of online and offline stores.
The company valuation shot to $4.5 million from their initial $3 million figure during the Shark Tank pitch. In short, Mark Cuban has ticked all the right boxes as the company will undoubtedly grow over the years.
Facts about Mush Oatmeal and its founders
Here are some interesting facts about Mush Oatmeal:
- You don’t have to cook Mush Oatmeal as it is a ready-to-eat food product.
- You can soak it in dairy-free milk overnight to increase its nutritional benefits.
- Mush Oatmeal generated $72,000 in the first year.
- Ashley developed the idea of creating Mush Oatmeal inspired by her childhood hack of soaking oatmeal and cereal in milk.
- Mush Oatmeal improves insulin and reduces cholesterol.
- Kat Thomas is a former athlete.
FAQ
What are Mush Oatmeal flavors?
Mush Oatmeal is available in multiple flavors, including Wild Blueberry, Apple Cinnamon, Coffee Coconut, Dark Chocolate, and Vanilla Bean.
What is the difference between Mush Oatmeal and traditional oats?
Mush Oatmeal is a ready-to-eat product that does not require cooking. Additionally, Mush Oatmeal comes soaked in oat milk, coconut, or almond, making it more nutritious than traditional oats.
Furthermore, Mush Oatmeal preserves its mineral and vitamin content as they do not require heating.
Can you heat Mush Oatmeal?
Although the recommended procedure to consume Mush Oatmeal is in its natural state, you can heat Mush Oatmeal before eating. However, it would be best to cook Mush Oatmeal on a microwave or stovetop at 30-second intervals.
Does Mush Oatmeal come in a mixed pack?
You can pick the mixed pack containing all the flavors in a pack of 12.
What is the shelf life of Mush Oatmeal?
Mush Oatmeal features an excellent 75 days of shelf life. However, you have to store your oats in recommended conditions.
