Where Is Chocomize From Shark Tank Today?
Can you name one person in your life that doesn't enjoy chocolate? While you can probably think of one or two if you really try, chocolate is a rich, indulgent confection enjoyed by many sweet-treat lovers worldwide. In 2015, CNBC reported that Americans consume about $18.27 billion worth of chocolate each year, and while there's nothing wrong with German chocolate pie or double chocolate cookies, nothing truly satisfies a chocolate craving more than a pure, rich bar of your favorite chocolate.
That was part of the inspiration for Colombia University friends to create their chocolate bar company, Chocomize in 2009. According to New Jersey Monthly, Nick LaCava, Eric Heinbockel, and Fabian Kaempfer were on their way to starting a customizable cereal company when they discovered a tasty creation out of refrigerating a bag of melted chocolate and various candies from a local candy shop. That's when the proverbial lightbulb went off for these three young entrepreneurs. The New York Times claims the friends received $100,000 from family to help get their web-based company up and running. At the time, Chocomize sold a few chocolate bar varieties for $4 but allowed customers to tailor fit these bars to their liking with an array of mix-ins for $1.35 each. With a growing business and more shareholders in the mix, Chocomize headed to "Shark Tank" for a deal on the new promising product line.
What did the Sharks think of Chocomize?
There may be certain chocolate candy bars worth traveling for, but if you have the luxuries of the internet and a computer or smartphone, you can order your very own customizable chocolate bar from Chocomize. When this new company began paving its way in 2009, the initial response was overwhelming. According to The New York Times, Chocomize was not only mentioned in a Costco newsletter but also in The Oprah Magazine, forcing the company to hire more employees and get its distribution more streamlined.
According to the Gazette Review, the Chief Financial Officer of Chocomize, Joe Dauenhauer, became a key player in the company's business three years after debuting. Dauenhauer made his way to "Shark Tank" on Season 5, Episode 10 in 2013 asking for $500,000 for 20% of the Chocomize business. While Dauenhauer seemed to make a good first impression (via YouTube), the high-profile investors didn't believe Chocomize was unique enough to stand on its own for the long haul. The only investor willing to make somewhat of a deal was Kevin O'Leary who offered $500,000 for 25% equity but the terms were quite different than what Dauenhauer expected. Not only would the business owners have to change the company name, but they would have to follow O'Leary's rules and operate out of Boston as opposed to New Jersey. Dauenhauer declined the offer and left "Shark Tank" with no deal.
Where is Chocomize now?
According to Linkedin, Joe Dauenhaur was only the Chief Financial Officer of Chocomize until 2014, but that didn't stop the company from growing and leaning into a specific market of customers. If you're looking for a stellar corporate gift, Chocomize may fit your needs perfectly.
In the Q&A section of the Chocomize website, the company explains why you can no longer order single customizable bars of chocolate. Due to high shipping costs and slow delivery, the company decided to shift focus in 2017 and gear future chocolate sales to businesses in need of corporate confection-based gifts. Now you can order a number of different sweet treats on the Chocomize website ranging from prepacked single-serve chocolate-covered pretzels to a large assortment of gourmet popcorn options in customizable tins.
While the business seems to have a number of viable products, you need to meet the order requirements before the business accepts your requested order. For example, if you want to pass out one-ounce customizable Chocomize chocolate bars to your employees, you need to order at least 2,100 bars which costs $3,885 and that doesn't include the shipping or fees. While the website seems to be up and running, the Chocomize Instagram page hasn't been updated since 2021. As to whether or not the Chocomize company will be a mainstay for businesses in the future remains unknown.
"Shark Tank" is available to purchase on Prime Video.