After the pandemic shuttered their cleaning business, James and Johanna Windon were out of options. Stuck at home, Johanna made a spinoff of bandeja paisa, a traditional Colombian snack of chorizo, fried pork belly, beans, and fries. Surprised by the result, Johanna knew she was onto something.
The husband-and-wife duo founded Buena Papa Fry Bar in 2021 in Raleigh, North Carolina, with the idea of bringing communities together to experience fresh cultures and cuisines. It wasn’t long before the brand was a local hit, growing at what James considers a moderate pace.
After seeing guests’ reactions to the food, they wanted to expand reach. The two auditioned for Season 15 of ABC’s hit show “Shark Tank,” which aired in 2023. James thought the appearance would prove a vehicle for nationwide growth.
“We had our whole family on the audition, putting our hearts out there,” James says. “We talked about what the business meant to us and how it represents who we are … we wanted to give our baby the platform it deserves and bring it to a different level.”
Things didn’t feel real for the Windons until they were sent plane tickets and a filming date. They knew their Latin-inspired meals on fries was a unique concept, but they still felt shell-shocked by the mix of emotions on filming day.
“It really was a dream we didn’t even think was possible,” Johanna says. “Our experience was exhilarating, shocking, and a whole lot of drama all packed into one day. But mostly it was an honor.”
Entrepreneur and “Shark” Robert Herjavec took an interest in Buena Papa Fry Bar’s potential as a fast-casual restaurant. He offered the couple a $400,000 investment with a 19 percent stake in the business, which they eagerly took.
The “Shark Tank effect” caught James and Johanna by surprise, with thousands of franchising inquiries coming down the pipe and sales picking up by “20 to 30 percent.” However, they’ve been careful about rolling too far, too fast.
“Even though we’re getting more inquiries, we’re sticking to a structured pace to build our foundation stronger and handle this incoming weight,” James adds. “We’re being very selective … [the Sharks] told us the franchise business is a people business, and it really stuck with us.”
With Herjavec’s expertise, Buena Papa is moving into a season of accelerated franchise expansion. By October 2023, the brand had nine franchise deals inked throughout the Southeast, which will open in their respective cities in 2024. These partnerships will add to their existing eight and move toward a goal of 10 to 15 new units by the end of this year.
“It was an honor to stand in front of so much knowledge and wisdom,” Johanna says. “Anything they said, we’re putting in our pocket to use … it was a wonderful experience.”
Buena Papa Fry Bar isn’t the only brand to walk away with a deal from Shark Tank. Fat Shack, a quick serve known for its “Fat Sandwiches,” burgers, and deep-fried desserts, stood on the stage in 2019’s Season 10.
Business partners Tom Armenti and Kevin Gabauer joked about going on Shark Tank as they sat on their couch and watched it with Tom’s cousin. Following eight years and 11 Fat Shack locations, they noticed an open casting call in nearby Denver and decided to audition.
“It was totally a last-minute thing, and Kevin was out of town visiting his family,” Armenti says. “I ended up driving down to Denver with no expectations … but ended up pushing down the line and into the actual development [of the show].”
Like Buena Papa, Gabauer recounts the rush of emotions: flying to Los Angeles, working with producers, racing to make food before their pitch, and the feeling as they walked down the famed corridor toward the Sharks.
Fat Shack caught the eye of four of them, but it was Mark Cuban who struck a deal for 15 percent of the concept in exchange for $250,000.
Using Cuban’s presence in Texas and national acumen, Fat Shack added three more restaurants to its portfolio of 30, with a Fort Worth location opening in late 2023. Within the first month of airing, Gabauer says north of 3,000 franchisee requests flowed through Fat Shack’s inbox.
“The growth exceeded our expectations,” Armenti says. “We had stores that were experiencing a 90 percent jump in sales, breaking their weekly sales records, and we had to make sure everybody was all hands-on deck service-wise. But there’s no preparing you to handle thousands of emails in such a brief period.”
Moving into the New Year, Fat Shack had plans to reopen its franchise pipeline to qualified individuals in existing markets across 13 states: Colorado, Kansas, Oregon, Florida, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Washington, Georgia, Nevada, Tennessee, Illinois, Oklahoma, and Texas. The brand wants to fill in the gaps in areas where there might only be one or two stores.
For aspiring brands looking to make their Shark Tank debut, Armenti and Gabauer believe preparation and being in a position of strength is key for going on the show. Armenti says having an established concept and knowing the business inside and out gave them a leg up in front of the Sharks. He wouldn’t recommend using it as a “Hail Mary” to survive.
“You’ve got to have your business figured out,” Gabauer says. “The reality is that [the Sharks] have tons of investments, and even if you strike a deal, they’re not working with you every single day. Operationally, the more independent you can be, the better shot you’ll have at success.”
