Where Is Wink Frozen Desserts From Shark Tank Today?

Some would argue that there's nothing better than a bowl of ice cream on a hot summer day but with many ice cream brands containing dairy, those who are lactose intolerant or vegan might not find the sweet treat so easily accessible. Furthermore, many ice creams are filled with sugar and a high-calorie content, which can be unappealing to some people. Entrepreneurs Gabe Wolff and Ani Blinova wanted to recreate ice cream with a health-conscious twist. Thus, Wink Frozen Desserts was born. 

Wink Frozen Desserts came in 10 flavors, including cake batter, cocoa dough, cinnamon bun, ice latte, chocolate mint, and vanilla bean. The founders described the frozen desserts as vegan and free of the top allergens — dairy, sugar, gluten, soy, fat, nut, and egg. Instead of sugar, Wink Frozen Desserts contain organic stevia and monk fruit to sweeten it. They also clock in at 100 calories per pint and do not contain GMO ingredients. Wink Frozen touts itself as a healthier alternative to dairy ice cream, but was this enough for a shark to take a bite out of the company?

Gabe Wolff and Ani Blinova appeared on Season 7, Episode 8 of "Shark Tank," seeking $300,000 in exchange for 15% ownership of their company. Unfortunately, Wolff stumbled on his words at the beginning of the pitch but was able to get the ball rolling and each shark received a customized bowl of ice cream sundae with samples of six flavors. 

As the Gazette Review notes, Robert Herjavec and Mark Cuban seemingly wince as they try the ice cream. Kevin O'Leary had issues with the frozen desserts being 100 calories, stating that if they were 200 calories, they would still be "50% less than most ice cream made with milk fat."

At the time of the pitch, the entrepreneurs claimed to have made $534,000 in sales over the span of three years. They were projected to make $650,000, but it wouldn't be profitable. In fact, Wink Frozen Desserts lost money the previous year due to manufacturing issues. Barbara Corcoran was the first to drop out due to a lack of profitability. Cuban, Herjavec, Lori Greiner, and O'Leary followed suit and dropped out due to the taste of the frozen dessert, with O'Leary calling the frozen desserts "taste-free." How did the company fare leaving the tank without scooping up a deal?

During the pitch, Ani Blinova said Wink Frozen Desserts were sold in retailers in the Northeast, including 30 Whole Foods locations. The products were set to be sold in an additional 180 stores. It's unclear whether this expansion was finalized.

In fact, it's also unclear whether Wink Frozen Desserts were able to gain any momentum after appearing on "Shark Tank." While the website is still intact and features the same logo and name that was showcased during the "Shark Tank" pitch, it appears it has an entirely new owner and purpose. Katia Pavlishchev is the new owner of the website sharing tidbits, recipes, and cooking tips. It seems the website is now a blog and self-proclaimed "one-stop shop" for posts related to frozen desserts, as well as cookies, pies, and cakes.

While Wink Frozen Desserts has a Twitter and Facebook, both accounts haven't been updated since 2019. It appears Wink Frozen Desserts has melted away and is now out of business.