Let’s cut the TV drama: Getting a deal on Shark Tank doesn’t guarantee you’re set for life. Grinds Coffee Pouches got a handshake. But the real money? That came after the cameras cut.
This is the inside scoop—what really happened to Grinds after Season 4, why the deal never closed, where their money came from, their net worth now, and what founders everywhere can steal from their playbook.
The Grinds Origin Story
Meet Matt Canepa and Pat Pezet. Two ex-baseball players who saw teammates dipping tobacco for energy and focus, but also saw the downside—nicotine addiction, gross breath, and spit cups.
Instead of sitting back, these guys hacked a simple question: What if you could swap tobacco for coffee—and keep all the ritual? They experimented, packed flavored coffee into spit-free pouches, and Grinds was born. Think of it as chewing tobacco for the health crowd. No tobacco, no nicotine, just coffee you stick between your lip and gum.
Here’s the first lesson: Solve a real problem. Grinds isn’t a novelty. They built it for guys (and women) who actually wanted to quit chewing and still get a kick of energy. They didn’t try to be everything to everyone. They were narrow, targeted, and brutally focused.
Stepping into the Tank
Now let’s set the scene. Grinds lands on Shark Tank—Season 4, Episode 15. Matt and Pat know their numbers, know their customers, and want $75,000 for 10% of the company.
The Sharks smell opportunity. It’s a quirky product, sure, but there’s a real pain point—chewing tobacco is still a billion-dollar problem.
Their pitch is crisp, confident, and direct. No fluff. They know how much they’ve sold, where they want to go, and they aren’t afraid to defend their value. Tons of founders get tongue-tied or try to hide the truth—these two walked into the Tank ready to play offense.
Big takeaway here: If you’re pitching, know your numbers cold. And know the why behind your product. Grinds did both.
Sharks Bite: Deals and Drama
Here’s where it gets spicy. Multiple Sharks show interest (never a guarantee). Daymond John and Robert Herjavec, the two who usually go for traditional retail or tech, jump in with an offer.
Kevin O’Leary (a.k.a. Mr. Wonderful) bucks tradition—he wants to structure it as a no-equity deal. Kevin usually loves royalty deals. Here, he’s angling for something different, suggesting the founders keep their equity and instead take a more creative financing path.
But Matt and Pat aren’t shy. They counter Daymond and Robert for $100,000 at 15%. Bold, but sometimes you have to test the market. Daymond and Robert stand firm, almost offended at the larger ask. Our time is valuable, they say. Dead cold. But the founders don’t flinch; they end up settling for the original $75K for 10%.
That’s classic Shark Tank tension—a deal dangled, haggled, and finally landed. At least, that’s what the viewers thought.
Did the Deal Close? (And Why That’s Rare)
Here’s the part you never see unless you’ve played the TV-to-term-sheet game: Not all deals on Shark Tank actually close. In reality, many handshake agreements get chopped up during due diligence.
Grinds? They never inked the deal with Daymond and Robert. The paperwork wasn’t signed, maybe the terms got squishy, or the Sharks hedged in private. It happens more than they admit on air—startups look sexier on TV than in black-and-white contracts. Maybe it was valuation, maybe it was growth, maybe it was just cold feet.
But here’s the founder trick—don’t let a lost deal slow your roll. Matt and Pat kept selling. They doubled down on online DTC sales. The Shark Tank spotlight worked its magic, pushing traffic and validating their pitch for millions of viewers. Sometimes, the exposure is worth more than the dollars.
I’ve seen this playbook before. Look at Bombas—massive success, partly because they capitalized on their episode energy, not because of the check. The real grind starts after the applause.
Grinds Net Worth and Financial Growth
So how much is Grinds worth now, after Shark Tank and without a fresh stack of Shark cash? The founders took the no deal path and made it work. That’s serious hustle.
- In 2019, they dropped $6.7 million to relocate and scale their manufacturing to Westfield, Indiana.
- By 2022-2023, revenue was circling $5 million a year, according to SharkWorth and other business sources.
- Today, estimating with typical brand multiples, Grinds likely lands somewhere north of $10 million in valuation.
No dumb luck here. Their playbook—the same one they pitched in the Tank—is online-focused, direct-to-consumer first, and leverages Amazon and their own site for distribution.
A lot of founders think getting rejected by the Sharks is a death sentence. It’s not. Grinds used the Shark Tank megaphone to fuel their funnel. They hustled, reinvested, and put money back into production. If you know margins are strong (coffee isn’t hardware), the DTC model just lets you print cash if you get the marketing right.
Operational Moves and Growing Pains
So, what happened after the Shark Tank spotlight faded? Lots of companies lose steam post-TV. Grinds didn’t.
They moved their entire operation from California to Indiana—a logistical beast, but smart if you want to manufacture at scale. That $6.7 million move wasn’t flash. It was machinery, custom production lines, and greater control over output.
Why does this matter? When you scale, you need margin and efficiency. Cost of goods, fulfillment, shipping—every penny counts at volume. Their Indiana HQ let them ramp up, control costs, and handle demand spikes without choking on outsourcing fees.
If you’re reading this as a founder or side hustler, take note: Control your supply chain when you hit growth mode. Grinds could meet demand, shift flavors, and own quality—all because they reinvested, not just in marketing, but in real infrastructure.
Product Line and Market Presence
Let’s talk product. Grinds is still doing what they do best: coffee pouches for people trying to quit chewing tobacco.
Multiple flavors—Wintergreen, Mocha, Cinnamon Roll, and now offbeat ones too (I’ve seen some wild limited editions). Each pouch is loaded with coffee, B vitamins, and caffeine, packed like dip but with none of the harm. They’ve expanded a bit—energy blends, maybe a few snackable spin-offs—but haven’t chased every shiny product trend, which is wise.
You can buy Grinds directly from their official site, on Amazon, and a range of partner stores across the US. Their audience? Still the same—truckers, athletes, anyone in a nicotine rut who wants a better swap. They don’t try to convert every coffee drinker. They stay on their mission.
Grinds moved from a niche quit tobacco tool to a low-key performance product. I’d call it a mini Scrub Daddy move—find a loyal market, serve them well, and let word-of-mouth do the rest.
Is Grinds a Shark Tank Success Story?
Here’s where I get honest. You watch Shark Tank and think: Got a deal? Must be set. No deal? Toast.
Grinds flips that math. They didn’t need Shark cash. They knew their identity, kept control, and scaled bigger than most deal startups ever dream.
Are they as big as Bombas or Scrub Daddy? No. But they’ve handled the post-Tank hustle better than brands that burned out despite big checks. Their category—habit replacement, functional coffee—isn’t giant, but it keeps growing. Grinds went from side hustle to real company by focusing, serving a community, and not obsessing over reality TV fame.
That’s a win. Pure founder grit, not just a Shark Tank fairy tale.
Final Take: Lessons for Founders
What can you steal from Grinds’ story? First: You don’t need a TV investor to validate your business. That shiny handshake on TV is just the start. The real hustle, the real money, and the real scaling happens when the credits stop rolling.
Don’t get lost in the hype. Know your why. Own your mission, your numbers, and your channel. Grinds stuck to their vision and invested back in their business when it mattered most.
Second: It’s about operational control. If you scale fast, you need to own the production, the inventory, the speed. Grinds did this by moving to Indiana and doubling down on their process.
Third: Stay focused. Don’t pivot every month. Grinds knew their hero product and audience. More flavors? Yes. Brand new directions? No. They kept their edge.
Great pitch, smart brand, real grind—ignore the reality show edit. This is the playbook for founders actually looking to build something that survives the next trend.
FAQs
1. Is Grinds from Shark Tank still in business?
Absolutely—Grinds is alive, growing, and crushing DTC and Amazon sales.
2. Did any Shark Tank deal with Grinds actually close?
No. Despite the handshake, their Daymond/Robert deal never finalized after the show.
3. What is Grinds’ estimated annual revenue?
Latest public data points to around $5 million per year.
4. Where can you buy Grinds Coffee Pouches today?
On getgrinds.com, Amazon, and specialty shops across the US.
5. Who owns Grinds now—are the founders still involved?
Matt Canepa and Pat Pezet still steer the ship. The original vision is intact.
6. Does Grinds really help people quit chewing tobacco?
Thousands have swapped dip for Grinds. The ritual and flavor help curb the tobacco urge.
7. How much did Grinds invest in their Indiana facility?
$6.7 million—serious money, all self-driven after Shark Tank.
8. Has Grinds expanded outside the US since Shark Tank?
For now, distribution is US-focused, but the niche is hungry everywhere.
Want the street-level scoop on Shark Tank legends and the tough road after the limelight? Bookmark this. For more founder war stories and net worth tea, check SharkWorth. There are plenty more true tales behind the pitches—we see who really gets to swim.
