Where Is Blondie's Cookies From Shark Tank Today?
There are few things greater in life than freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. Apart from the enjoyment you get in taking that first warm, chocolate-infused bite, making homemade cookies is a multi-faceted sensory experience. During the mixing and rolling process you not only get to take a few generous nibbles of cookie dough but you also get to experience the overwhelmingly sweet aroma of hand-crafted confections wafting through your kitchen. Buying cookies from a grocery store or bakery is never quite the same, but what if there was a company that provided the next best thing?
Since 1985 Brenda Coffman, founder of Blondie's Cookies, has used quality ingredients to hand-craft innovative homemade cookies in Indiana. The longtime baker began making and selling her homemade treats while in college at Indiana State University. In the mid-'80s she was able to get her first retail store in place at the Markland Mall in Kokomo, Indiana. Over the course of a few years, Coffman was able to open more retail locations in Indiana, branching out of state to Florida where she opened four different Blondie's storefronts in Sarasota and Tampa Bay. Even though the mid-2000s brought Coffman success with her homemade cookie business, she decided to take her chances on "Shark Tank" in 2012 in hopes of expanding beyond the bounds of Indiana and Florida.
What did the Sharks think of Blondie's Cookies?
The most important secret to making the perfect chocolate chip cookie, according to business owner Brenda Coffman, is using only the finest ingredients. Coffman admits she could easily make a more affordable treat by reducing her expenses, but then her confections would lack that suburb homemade taste. Coffman made her debut on "Shark Tank" on Season 3, Episode 11 in 2012 and the businesswoman was seeking $200,000 for 3% of her company. The sharks were initially impressed with the taste of Blondie's Cookies. The high-profile entrepreneurs also appreciated the fact that Coffman and her team donated each day's uneaten cookies to local charities. Coffman's pitch took a turn, however, when Kevin O'Leary began questioning the business owner on her company's valuation.
At the time of Coffman's "Shark Tank" debut, there were eight Blondie's Cookies retail locations in Indiana and four located in Florida. The Indiana-based entrepreneur revealed just how much money Blondie's Cookies was losing by opening up four locations in Florida all at the same time. While Blondie's Cookies was expected to make over two million dollars the following year, Coffman admitted she had, over time, borrowed money from the bank totaling $800,000 in loans. That coupled with the fact that she was losing money on her new retail locations in Indiana, left her with zero sharks willing to invest in her cookie business. Coffman left "Shark Tank" with no deal.
Where is Blondie's Cookies now?
Even though Brenda Coffman left "Shark Tank" without a deal, the publicity she garnered from her television appearance only helped the Indiana-based cookie business. Coffman revealed to Nashville Wraps, "Within 24 hours after the show I got three marriage proposals, 1,700 emails, and lots of phone calls and well-wishers." Upon her television debut, Coffman gained the opportunity to sell her cookies outside the U.S. and to various locations across America.
Fast forward to 2023, and Blondie's Cookies is only expanding with a new production facility located right in Greentown, Indiana. Not only does the new location provide more space for storage, but the building has aesthetic appeal. Blondie's Cookies will have an exclusive test kitchen and be able to host local events. Since debuting on "Shark Tank," Coffman has seen an uptick in online retail sales and expanded the company's fundraising division.
In 2020, the longtime business owner started bagging her one-of-a-kind confections to be featured and sold in Indiana-based stores which has also bolstered Blondie's Cookie's local appeal. The company has also partnered with delivery companies such as Grubhub. There are currently seven Blondie's Cookies storefronts up and running but Coffman is hoping to grow her storefront business through a franchise-based model of operation in the future. Even though Coffman wasn't able to secure an investment on "Shark Tank," the Blondie's cookie business continues to thrive.