"I wanted to be a diplomat" – Shark Tank investor Daniel Lubetzky recalls how he ended up in the food industry

KIND Healthy Snacks founder Daniel Lubetzky recently joined ABC's Shark Tank as a permanent investor for season 16, which premiered October 18, 2024. The transition marks the show's first regular panel addition in over a decade, as Mark Cuban prepares to exit after this season.

Lubetzky, who sold KIND to Mars for $5 billion in 2020, shared his career journey in an Instagram video this week. In the message, the Shark Tank investor detailed his unexpected path into the food industry and how he worked with his father in the watch industry.

He added that while he was in high school and college, if someone told him that he would "end up in the food industry," he would've thought that the person was "crazy." Lubetzky said he wanted to work with his father and build a business together.

"I also wanted to be a diplomat. But the world sometimes unfolds itself in interesting ways," he added.

According to Forbes, he is currently worth $2.3 billion, and he brings his consumer products expertise to the panel on Shark Tank. The investor has joined Barbara Corcoran, Lori Greiner, Robert Herjavec, Daymond John, and Kevin O'Leary.

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New Shark Tank investor Daniel Lubetzky shares unexpected path to food industry

Shark Tank investor Daniel Lubetzky's Instagram message revealed the unexpected turns in his professional life. The businessman emphasized how circumstances guided him toward the food sector, despite his early resistance to this career path. The message highlighted his first steps into business through PeaceWorks, a company that brought international food items to American markets.

“The way it happened to me is I first started a venture to bring neighbors together, Israelis and Arabs. And it just so happens that the food industry was a sector where neighbors were striving to co-exist, and we started building businesses together for my first company PeaceWorks,” he shared.

This venture, started in 1994, specialized in distributing products like coconut milk from Sri Lanka and chocolate from Israel. Lubetzky mentioned that this decade-long experience provided essential business insights that later shaped KIND's creation.

He added that "after 10 years of a lot of mistakes," he developed "enough pattern recognition" to be able to come up with the venture that became KIND. His company, now KIND Healthy Snacks, according to the investor, "grew beyond any of [my] dreams." He said that the company impacted thousands of people and reached hundreds of millions of consumers while also benefitting him a lot.

Lubetzky studied economics and international relations at Trinity University before he joined Stanford Law School.

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The KIND success story

KIND Healthy Snacks was started in 2004 as Lubetzky's major business venture, per Forbes. The company experienced substantial growth, establishing its presence across thousands of retail locations.

Mars initially purchased a minority stake in the brand in 2017, and three years later, it acquired the entire company for $5 billion. The deal positioned KIND's products in major retail chains across the United States. The brand secured placement in Starbucks outlets, Walmart, and numerous other retail locations.

Throughout this expansion, Shark Tank investor maintained his involvement in business development. He is currently managing startup incubator Camino Partners while retaining an undisclosed stake in KIND.

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Daniel Lubetzky background

Daniel Lubetzky was born to Sonia and Roman Lubetzky in 1968 in Mexico City. Daniel Lubetzky married Michelle Lynn Lieberman in 2008, and they have four children.

Daniel's father was a Holocaust survivor and influenced his business philosophy, as Lubetzky has shared during his previous Shark Tank appearances. The family background became part of his business narrative, often referenced in discussions about perseverance.

While maintaining his business interests, the investor plays an active role in various ventures. His current business activities include running the startup incubator Camino Partners while maintaining financial interests in his previous ventures.

The company directed $20 million in cash and products to charitable causes, with Lubetzky personally contributing $10 million to these efforts. In the food industry, Lubetzky's contributions received recognition from various sources. Marion Nestle, a professor of nutrition, food studies, and public health at New York University, acknowledged his marketing abilities.

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Fans can watch new episodes of Shark Tank season 16 airing on ABC network.