"You will not regret it" — When Shark Tank investor Lori Greiner offered $125,000 to The Pizza Cupcake

Andrea and Michelle Jiminez-Meggiato presented their business, The Pizza Cupcake, on Shark Tank season 12. They arrived in episode 9 which aired on February 5, 2021. They asked for $125,000 in exchange for 5% equity from the various investors. Andrea who is a chef from Venice, started the business with his wife Michelle in 2018.

Their Brooklyn-based food business small pizzas that looked like cupcakes, as the brand name suggested. These pizzas had tomatoes and mozzarella cheese, and it came with a non-vegetarian variation featuring pepperoni.

After tasting the product, all the Sharks were impressed, but ultimately only Lori Greiner made an offer. She saw an opportunity to work with another company she had invested in, Bantam Bagels because they used similar packaging. Greiner offered $125,000 for 20% of The Pizza Cupcake. Michelle tried to negotiate, offering alternative deals like $150,000 for 15% of the company, but Greiner stuck to her original offering of $125,000.

"$125,000, 15% and I promise you that you will not regret it," said the Shark Tank investor Lori.

Eventually, the two parties agreed on $125,000 for 12.5% of the company, plus 2.5% in advisory shares.

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What happened to The Pizza Cupcake after Shark Tank?

On Shark Tank, The Pizza Cupcake founders shared that they launched their company in 2018. The business had set up a concession stand at Citi Field, the home stadium of the New York Mets baseball team. They also provided catering services for events. Their mini pizzas were popular at Smorgasburg, an outdoor food market in New York.

The founders shared that people waited in line for 45 minutes to buy their pizzas at another outdoor market in the World Trade Center. After appearing on Shark Tank, the brand started selling its products in grocery stores in the Northeast, marking the company's entry into retail.

Wegmans, a big grocery store chain on the East Coast with over 100 locations, was the first to carry The Pizza Cupcake's products in its freezer section. Later, Walmart also started selling The Pizza Cupcake's products in its 1,600 stores across the country.

In a September 7, 2023 interview with Tasting Table, Michelle revealed that she was prepared for her appearance on Shark Tank. She knew her company inside and out, but she also had a deep understanding of the show itself.

"I've always been a student of Shark Tank. And it was always my dream for us to go on the show," said Michelle.

Her preparation paid off during filming as she discussed her business and even referenced similar deals that Lori Greiner had made in the past. Jimenez mentioned that she had noticed that many new food companies were going on the reality show to pitch their ideas. She thought this could be a great opportunity for The Pizza Cupcake to get funding, exposure, and validation.

Before their pitch, Jimenez got advice from one of the show's producers as well. The producer shared with Michelle and Andrea a helpful breathing tip to calm their nerves. Michelle recalled they were told to breathe in for three seconds, then roll their shoulders back three times as they breathed out.

According to Lori Greiner's website, The Pizza Cupcake made a significant amount of money in retail sales after appearing on Shark Tank. In just one year, the company earned $2.7 million. The Pizza Cupcake still only offered two flavors of pizza cupcakes, margherita, and pepperoni, after the show. They partnered with Cravings by Chrissy Teigen to release a special spicy pizza cupcake for Valentine's Day in 2022.

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Shark Tank is currently airing season 16 on ABC.