Where Is My Fruity Faces From Shark Tank Today?
Appearing on "Shark Tank" is many entrepreneurs' dream. The show allows budding businesses to pitch their ideas to a team of investors who will decide if the idea is worth investing time and money into. But when Adam Gerber and Bob Ntoya, the founders of edible sticker brand My Fruity Faces, had their chance in the spotlight in 2016, things didn't quite go as planned. And since then, the business seems to have gone under entirely.
The two men came into the Tank seeking $200,000 in return for a 10% stake in their brand, valuing their company at $2 million. And while they believed in their product, the same couldn't quite be said for the Sharks. After hearing various company details, the Sharks started to go out one by one. Ultimately, Gerber and Ntoya left the Tank without securing a deal. In fact, Kevin O'Leary advised the two men not to sink another penny into the business.
What happened to My Fruity Faces on Shark Tank?
Adam Gerber and Bob Ntoya entered the tank excited to talk about their edible sticker brand. The gluten-free stickers, which had silly, cartoon-style faces on them and were used to decorate fruits and vegetables, were meant to offer kids a fun, playful snack that made them want to eat fruits and veggies.
While the My Fruity Faces founders entered "Shark Tank" with high hopes, those hopes were quickly dashed when they started talking numbers. The two men revealed that the company's total sales stood just under $500,000, but they were pushing $200,000 in debt. And while total sales were decent, the company's sales for the previous month before appearing on the show were a measly $2,000, which hardly made any Shark want to sink $200,000 into the brand.
And while Gerber and Ntoya noted that they had a vendor contract with Walmart, it wasn't enough for any of the Sharks to take the plunge. Many of the Sharks cited that the company appeared to have too many things that just weren't going well.
My Fruity Faces after Shark Tank
The brand continued to fight for its place in the market even after the show ended. Despite not coming out of "Shark Tank" with a deal, the founders didn't give up immediately. While on the show, they revealed that their products were available in California Walmart stores. They were also able to partner with Nickelodeon, which likely helped boost sales both before and after the "Shark Tank" appearance.
"Shark Tank" gave My Fruity Faces a popularity boost, though there is little information about how much money the brand made immediately after the episode aired. However, the company was featured on local news channels in the following months, and Bustle did a profile on the brand.
Still, it doesn't look like the business deals and features were enough to keep the company afloat. It appears that My Fruity Faces went out of business around 2017.
Why did My Fruity Faces go out of business?
It's hard to say exactly what happened to My Fruity Faces, because there isn't too much information on its demise. But it's possible that the nearly $200,000 worth of debt Adam Gerber and Bob Ntoya racked up while getting the business started (which they revealed during their "Shark Tank" appearance) might have had something to do with it.
The company's website is still standing, but there's no way to place an order. Plus, any link past the home page goes to a "page not found" notice, and the website is extremely bare bones, with no recent updates.
The last post on the brand's Instagram page was back in 2017, suggesting that it fizzled out sometime around then. It doesn't appear to have a Facebook page, either, but there was no official announcement on exactly when the company went out of business.
What's next for the My Fruity Faces founders?
Adam Gerber and Bob Ntoya have said goodbye to their dreams of turning My Fruity Faces into something major. Based on Gerber's LinkedIn profile, it looks like he started a new business in 2017, right around the time My Fruity Faces flopped. He founded I Wanna Green Home, a home energy efficiency company. Gerber also appears to work in real estate and has experience in HVAC companies, too.
Ntoya, on the other hand, has founded a handful of companies and brands since his "Shark Tank" appearance. According to his LinkedIn profile, he founded 3BeCOM, a content marketing agency, which he ran until 2019. He also founded Medibles, a CBD subscription service. He currently works for Biomed, a biotech company focused on affordable healthcare, which he founded in 2021.
After their attempt at making vegetables and fruits a little more fun, it doesn't look like Gerber and Ntoya have gone in on any more business ventures together.