Veggie Mama entrepreneurs Theresa and Robert Fraijo are like a lot of parents: they’re always trying to get their kids to eat their veggies and they’ll do just about anything to do it, including turning veggies into frozen treats. That’s where Theresa got the idea for Veggie Mama Garden Pops. She just couldn’t get her kids to eat their veggies, so she turned them into a dessert!
Veggie Mama Garden Pops are made with organic fruits and veggies and sweetened with agave nectar; they’re also gluten and dairy free. There are three flavors: Carrot Berry, Citrus Cucumber, and Sweet Potato Pie. They all sound good to me, but will kids eat them? Fraijo claims her kids love them.
Veggie Papa on Veggie Mama
I count three girls in my home with leanings toward this type of product. I am the father of two vegetarians and one gluten/lactose intolerant eater. These three eat stuff like this like it’s going out of style. The other two eat anything that isn’t still walking around, so I bet Veggie Mama Garden Pops wouldn’t last long in my house!
Quality, healthy food will always find a market, whether there are specific dietary concerns or people just want to eat healthier. A dessert treat with a health angle ought to have a lot of fans. Veggie Mama Pops don’t cost much more than a box of Drumsticks and they certainly don’t have the calories either. A frozen treat with the double benefit of providing a serving of fruits and vegetables should win parents over fairly easily. Veggie Mama is already selling in nearly 200 Sprouts and Whole Foods markets out west, so the Fraijos appear to have won over a lot of customers.
Do Sharks eat their Veggies?
The idea and the business sound great. The big problem with Veggie Mama is the “frozen” in frozen treats. Frozen foods are a tough sell in the Shark Tank. It’s also difficult to sell frozen goods online. These things could be better than the ambrosia of the Greek Gods, but even frozen ambrosia will raise concerns in the Shark Tank.
This will be one of those pitches where all the Sharks will love the product and probably even the Fraijos (they seem like a nice couple), but they’ll all have reservations about the business. There may be no deal for Veggie Mama, but I’ll bet a bushel of beets they beef up their distribution after their Shark Tank appearance.
Entrepreneur, auteur, raconteur. Rob Merlino is a blogger and writer who enjoys the Shark Tank TV show and Hot Dogs. A father of five who freelances in a variety of publications, Rob has a stable of websites including Shark Tank Blog, Hot Dog Stories, Rob Merlino.com and more.
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