Here's What To Know About TaDah Foods From Shark Tank

In the Season 11 premiere of "Shark Tank," chemical engineer-turned-entrepreneur John Sorial eagerly presented his frozen food brand, TaDah Foods, to the panel of sharks. In the episode, which aired on September 29, 2019, Sorial introduced the sharks (and viewers) to the TaDah line of prepared frozen falafels and wraps. The company launched in April 2011 and was inspired by Sorial's background as the son of Egyptian immigrants, namely his fond memories of eating Eastern Mediterranean foods at home.

Sorial's goal in founding TaDah was to bring authentic plant-based recipes to kitchens across the country and share the cuisine he grew up on with the masses in an accessible, convenient, and delicious way. The company also prioritizes charitable giving, with Sorial noting that "25% of distributed profits from the original [three] founders [goes] to non-for-profits." Sorial made the jump from a career in oil refining to starting his journey as an entrepreneur because he wasn't feeling fulfilled. Driven by his passion for great food and culture, Sorial decided to pivot, and TaDah was born.

With a mission to give back and make a product with impressive quality, the sharks were receptive to Sorial and the TaDah wraps and falafels they sampled during his pitch. However, when a discussion of production and supply issues came up, things unfortunately took a turn. The sharks raised concerns about the company's business structure and equity distribution, but none could deny the excellence of the products and the power of an entrepreneur with as much devotion as Sorial.

Although the sharks were impressed by each TaDah product, they were even more excited about the over $8.2 million of lifetime sales. Profit margins were promising as well, with the falafel street wraps retailing at $3.99 and the falafel poppers priced at $4.99. Each cost the company just $1.09. After sharing these appealing numbers, Sorial revealed that sales had remained stagnant for the previous two years due to an issue with a co-packer. Because of this, the company was unable to keep up with demand for the product, ultimately dinging sales.

Sorial used this moment to demonstrate his commitment to his brand and willingness to quite literally roll up his sleeves, explaining that he joined the employees of the understaffed co-packer to help production during those uncertain times. He did share that the problem was ultimately resolved, but the damage may have already been done. Sorial cited a loss of $200,000 in 2018. These numbers spooked sharks Lori Greiner, Robert Herjavec, and Kevin O'Leary, while Mark Cuban and Kind founder Daniel Lubetzky inquired more about Sorial's motivations.

Sorial tearfully explained his desire to help people around the world just as much as, if not more than, his desire to make huge profits from his company. This passion earned him an offer from Lubetzky, who threw out a $300,000 offer for 20% equity or a $500,000 offer for 25% equity that Sorial could choose from. This sparked an offer from Cuban as well, who proposed $300,000 for 20% equity and a $500,000 line of credit. Ultimately, Lubetzky's dominance in the food industry persuaded Sorial to accept his offer.

It seems the partnership with Lubetzky was initially very fruitful, with the company reporting an annual revenue of $4 million following the show. The brand also expanded to major stores like Target, Publix, Costco, Kroger, Walmart, and others. According to the company's campaign on WeFunder — a crowdfunding site for startups — TaDah gained huge exposure following Sorial's "Shark Tank" appearance and projected substantial growth over the next five years. As of July 2021, TaDah's WeFunder raised $771,391. In an interview with Taste Radio, Soriel explained that his time on "Shark Tank" helped revive the company's growth trajectory. "I am incredibly blessed to have been featured on 'Shark Tank,'" he added, "because it just puts you back on a national stage in a way that nothing else can do."

Despite the company's growth following the "Shark Tank" premiere, Sorial never lost sight of his priorities. Manufacturing a product with superb quality that contributes to global social change remained at the heart of the mission-driven company. That commitment to quality was reflected in customer reviews. One Reddit user said, "I just thought I'd chime in and say I've been eating those TaDah falafel wraps for years ... I could eat these every day for lunch for a month and be totally happy." Despite rave reviews and apparent company growth, TaDah seemingly went out of business sometime in 2023 or 2024.

It's not entirely clear why or how TaDah Foods went out of business. The company seemed poised to leverage its exposure from "Shark Tank" and the newly minted investment deal with Kind founder Daniel Lubetzky into huge success. The frozen food market is crowded and competitive, so it may be that TaDah simply couldn't sustain itself in that environment. It's also possible that a similar issue as experienced in the past occurred with production.

The company's website is now defunct, so it's difficult to source any clear explanation about its downfall. In one of the last posts shared to the TaDah Instagram page on June 8, 2023, the company shared that its store locator on the website was down but that the issue was being addressed and resolved. Several commenters pointed out weeks later that the locator was still inactive.

Despite that, TaDah still has fans who miss the brand's healthy and affordable line of frozen wraps and falafels. On February 27, 2024, TaDah shared an image of a cocoon on Instagram with the caption, "We know it has been [a while,] but we're working on coming back stronger and better than ever." Comments on this post range from dismay at the brand's disappearance from grocery store shelves to plain begging for the company's return.

That final TaDah Instagram post certainly alludes to an imminent and triumphant return. However, with the brand's website still nonexistent and no word from John Sorial on whether or not TaDah can be expected to return, things aren't looking good. Sorial's Instagram page is similarly abandoned, with his last post dated January 2018. Interestingly, his LinkedIn profile lists his role as founder & managing partner of TaDah Foods as having ended in January 2024. His current job title is listed as principal of JSX Ventures, where it appears he is working as a self-employed consultant for startups and other companies.

With an entrepreneurial spirit and a genuine passion for progressive change, Sorial surely landed on his feet following the demise of TaDah. Who knows? Maybe the brand is set to make a return one day in the near future. It cannot be denied that there's a market and demand for ready-to-eat, healthy, and ethnically inspired cuisine in the frozen aisle. We wish Sorial success and growth on his new path while simultaneously lamenting the falafel-sized hole in our freezers. At least we still pick up some other delicious "Shark Tank" food brands at Costco.