Highlights
- Jeremy and Kaitlyn pitched Crispy Cones, seeking $200,000 for 10% equity.
- The franchise features soft serve ice cream in grilled dough cones with unique toppings.
- Since airing, the company has opened six locations and sold 30 franchises, with annual revenue exceeding $1 million.
Overview
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Crispy Cones |
| Founders | Jeremy and Kaitlyn Carlson |
| Industry | Food & Beverage, Franchising |
| Product | Soft serve ice cream served in fresh dough cones |
| Funding Sought | $200,000 for 10% equity on Shark Tank |
| Investment Ask | $200,000 |
| Equity Offered | 20% (after deal with Barbara) |
| Valuation | $1 million (at the time of Shark Tank pitch) |
Jeremy and Kaitlyn Carlson hope a Shark bites on Crispy Cones, their soft serve ice cream franchise opportunity with a new twist on the ice cream cone, in Shark Tank episode 1421. They serve their soft serve ice cream in cones made from fresh dough and grilled rotisserie-style then covered with cinnamon and sugar or crushed Oreos. They fill the cones with choice of spread (think Nutella or peanut butter), gourmet soft-serve ice cream, fruit, and a variety of delicious toppings.
Jeremy first encountered the cones while doing missionary work for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Czech Republic. He believed folks in the USA would like them, so he opened a trailer to sell them while he was a student at Brigham Young University. He and his wife opened their first storefront in Logan, Utah in May 2020 and a second in Rexburg, Idaho shortly thereafter.
Apparently, Jeremy was right. People love his cones. The couple’s goal is to franchise the concept. There’s a franchise application on their website. They likely want a Shark who’s had experience with franchising to help them grow their new concept.
Company Information
Video
Posts about Crispy Cones on Shark Tank Blog
Crispy Cone Franchise Opportunity
Crispy Cones Shark Tank Recap
Jeremy and Kaitlyn enter the Shark Tank seeking $200,000 for 10% equity in their company.
Did Crispy Cones Get A Deal?
The entrepreneurs did a deal with Barbara for $200,000 for 20%.
Crispy Cones Shark Tank Update
The Shark Tank Blog constantly provides updates and follow-ups about entrepreneurs who have appeared on the Shark Tank TV show.
The first rerun of this episode in June, 2023 is just 3 months after the original air date. The deal with Barbara closed on January 1, 2023. At this time, a franchise opened in Chandler, Arizona and one in Provo, Utah is “coming soon.” As of November, 2023, the company has six locations. 2 in Arizona, the Provo location, 1 in Orlando and the 2 original stores. By March, 2024, they added a 7th location in Gilbert, Arizona. The company claims it has 30 franchises sold. At this time, annual revenue is over $1 million. In May, 2024, the company announced it signed a 10 unit deal in the greater Dallas area.
Update Segment
The company gets an update segment in episode 1516. In the update, Jeremy explains how they make their cones. He says within 24 hours of airing, they recieved hundreds of franchise applications from every single state in the country. Barbara is in a meeting with Jeremy and Kaitlyn and she tells them the key to successful franchising is successful franchisees. With the investment from Barbara, Crispy Cones introduced self serve ordering kiosks in their stores due to the incredible crowds they were drawing.
The scene cuts to the grand opening of their Tempe, Arizona franchise. Kaitlyn says they’ve sold 18 franchises in Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Florida and Texas. Jeremy says the kiosks provide them with valuable data on everything from store cleanliness to quality. It’s helped grow their revenue 60%. In the 5 years before Shark Tank they had just under $500,000 in sales. In the 7 months since appearing, they’ve surpassed $2 million in lifetime sales. Jeremy says he grew up watching Shark Tank and he never thought he’d have Barbara as a business partner.
The couple says being on Shark Tank was the best day of their lives until they welcomed their first baby, Casey, into their lives. They offer advice to other entrepreneurs: “Dream big, work like crazy to achieve your goals and never give up.”
In June, 2024, the company announced it had signed franchise agreements for 55 stores across the country.
The Shark Tank Blog will follow-up on Crispy Cones & Jeremy and Kaitlyn Carlson as more details become available.
More products from this episode! Check out other businesses that participated alongside Crispy Cones.
