Where Is Mango Mango From Shark Tank Today?

Entrepreneurs Lakesha Brown-Renfro, Nzinga Teule-Hekima, and Tanecia Willis took their love of mangoes and turned it into a thriving business idea by converting the refreshing tropical fruit into tasty preserves, as illustrated by their appearance on "Shark Tank," in 2013. The result was Mango Mango, a preserves company borne from an event planning business the three women founded together. As they prepared food for clients, the ladies would often incorporate mango preserves into the recipes. These recipes were a huge hit with their customers, which spurred the team to develop a manufacturing process and provide the preserves to local shops and markets at their home base in Virginia. 

In search of their own production facility, the team eventually made its way to the pitch room of "Shark Tank." The Sharks were clearly impressed by the flavor of Mango Mango's preserves, particularly Mark Cuban and Robert Herjavec (who couldn't stop snacking during the pitch). However, Kevin O'Leary was less impressed by Mango Mango's ability to turn a profit, and even went as far as to call the pursuit a "hobby," as opposed to a legitimate business.

The three ladies behind Mango Mango visited "Shark Tank" to request $75,000 in exchange for 20% of Mango Mango, stating that they wanted to establish a production facility and purchase equipment of their own. During the pitch, the women explained the many distinct ways their preserves could be used and provided the Sharks with a bevy of treats (including mango-infused cream cheese, mango-glazed shrimp, and a mango-flavored cocktail). 

In terms of flavor quality, the Sharks couldn't get enough of Mango Mango's recipes. However, the valuation left a bad taste in one Shark's mouth. O'Leary, also known as Mr. Wonderful, cited his previous experience in the jelly and jam business and wondered why the ladies weren't willing to collaborate with a co-packer to keep costs low. He also expressed concern about the high production cost of the preserves, which the founders attributed to the often-high cost of mango. 

Despite the Sharks' enthusiasm for the product, all declined to make an offer to Mango Mango. Mark Cuban claimed he was ignorant about the mango preserve business, while Lori Grenier said the women would be best served by retaining equity. As for O'Leary, he questioned the team's profit potential and subsequently went out. Daymond John and Robert Herjavec also failed to make an offer, with Herjavec stating that he was worried he'd "eat all the profits."

The ladies' lack of a deal certainly didn't hold them back. Despite leaving the pitch room without an investment in place, the company sold almost 100,000 jars of preserves in the 48 hours after the episode originally aired thanks to the 15,000 orders the company received. Soon after, the company debuted its preserves on QVC, which proved to be equally successful. The preserves sold out on the channel five times, highlighting just how popular this product is among consumers. 

Mango Mango eventually expanded the product line to specialty shops and Whole Foods. As a result, the company earned more than one million dollars in revenue. The founders also established a new business, an eatery called Mango Mangeaux, which is located in Hampton, VA, and available for breakfast/brunch, lunch, and dinner. While the preserves are a star of the dining establishment, it's also praised for its NeoSoul cuisine, which entails a fusion of French/Creole dishes with classic soul food. 

Customers interested in sampling the tangy fresh flavors of Mango Mango preserves can purchase a jar via the company website, where a 16-ounce jar of preserves currently retails for $19.99, and the Spicy Jammin' Ginger Party Mix costs $9 per one-ounce jar. In terms of other retail availability, it appears that the product has not fared as well as the founders may have hoped. 

For instance, the store locator on the Mango Mango website returns no results. Additionally, the product is not featured on the Whole Foods site, nor is it available on QVC (which lists the product as "sold out"). The business has an established presence on social media, most notably Facebook, which appears to be updated regularly. Mango Mango's Twitter and Instagram pages are still active but have not been updated since 2019. 

Per LinkedIn, all three founders are still associated with Simply Panache (which was the party planning business that served as the birthplace for the entrepreneurs' mango preserves). Lakesha Brown-Renfro and Tanecia Willis are listed as event executives, while Nzinga Teule-Hekima is listed as owner and product executive. Although Mango Mango has not exactly taken the world by storm, a subsequent business venture has proven to be quite a success.

While Mango Mango preserves are still available online, the product does appear to be at somewhat of a standstill. Fortunately, the Mango Mangeaux eatery is still going strong and getting rave reviews from customers. According to the business's Yelp page, Mango Mangeaux currently has four out of five stars based on 807 reviews. Diners highlight the friendly customer service, pleasing ambiance, and tasty menu. One reviewer states, "The food was nothing short of delicious!" which must keep loyal customers coming back for more. This prolific entrepreneurial team has also established additional ventures including a day spa, boutique hotel, lounge, and event venue.

The Mango Mango team has also used their success to help other entrepreneurs in their community. As reported by USA Today, Mango Mangeaux played a role in implementing Black Restaurant Week in 2019, which is still going strong four years later, in 2023,   Despite snags with investments and expanding the availability of Mango Mango preserves, Lakesha Brown-Renfro and Tanecia Willis, and Nzinga Teule-Hekima have shown that motivated entrepreneurs don't let anything stand in the way of success.