Where Is The Dough Bar From Shark Tank Today?
In 2018, a shirtless muscle man busted through the set of "Shark Tank." Aside from scaring every shark in the episode into a fit of laughter, this muscular fellow (who was actually professional bodybuilder Daniel Ziger, per CNBC) was there to showcase that gym lovers could eat donuts on the daily — if they chose to devour ones baked by The Dough Bar.
On Season 9, Episode 20, Marquez and Ondrea Fernandez stole hearts and won the sharks' favor with their nutritious donuts (via YouTube). According to the couple, these treats are not only low in fat and sugar but also boast 11 grams of protein. The donuts were sold online for $15.50 a box and arrived plain so customers could dress them up with their desired toppings.
By the time they made it to "Shark Tank," the two Dough Bar founders had already sold more than 280,000 protein-filled donuts. However, they came on the show hoping to take their business to new heights with a shark who would give them a $300,000 investment for 15% equity. Three sharks took the bait, but in the end, Barbara Corcoran won out against Lori Greiner and Alex Rodriguez by promising to invest $300,000 for 20% equity in the business. The couple, who as Corcoran said had "bootstrapped" their business, seemed thrilled with the outcome. But did Corcoran's investment in The Dough Bar pay off?
The Dough Bar was riding high
As reported by the Times Herald, Ondrea and Marquez Fernandez returned to "Shark Tank" in 2019 to give an update on their business's progress. And business was booming. Marquez reported that The Dough Bar's sales skyrocketed after the duo appeared on the show. According to The Gazette Review, before Marquez and Ondrea agreed to a partnership with Barbara Corcoran, The Dough Bar's donuts were primarily sold online. However, a mere year later, the two's signature healthy treat was available for purchase at retailers nationwide.
After experiencing such big success, the Times Herald reported that the co-owners had decided to move their business from California to a more central location in Colorado. (The move made the shipping process for their products easier.) And by 2019, Marquez and Ondrea were selling more than just protein donuts. After their first "Shark Tank" appearance, they debuted protein-packed Rice Krispies treats. The Dough Bar even began "The Doughnut Club," a line of, as Marquez stated, "fried, gourmet donuts."
However, by October of the same year, the Coloradoan reported that the company had filed for bankruptcy.
The Dough Bar faced financial challenges
According to the Coloradoan, the couple said that filing for chapter 11 bankruptcy in October 2019 was a "strategic decision" and that they had no plans to cease operations. Marquez and Ondrea Fernandez revealed to the outlet that the move from California to Colorado left the company in a significant amount of debt. As reported by the Coloradoan, The Dough Bar's court documents showed the business's debt amounted to more than $774,155.
Despite how things looked, the couple appeared a year later on the NoBullX podcast to report some good news. Marquez that their sales were up roughly 30% percent from 2019 and that they were getting ready to "exit file 11." And by 2022, the company seemed to be back on its feet. According to The Dough Bar's Facebook page, the brand was healthy enough to release healthy bear claws and apple fritters a year after the podcast and continued to launch new treats, such as an all-new protein brownie in 2022.
Unfortunately, disaster struck the couple behind The Dough Bar. In May 2022, the duo shared on Facebook that their newborn daughter had suffered kidney failure the previous Christmas. As a result, she would need round-the-clock care, and Ondrea and Marquez had to step away from the company to provide it. While the couple reported they hoped to make a big announcement within 6 months of the break, as of January 2023, The Dough Bar has yet to make an official return.