After walking out of the Shark Tank, Khasha thought: “What just happened?”
Yes, the Shark Tank! Khasha and Maynard were accepted to be on ABC's Shark Tank after their second application — and the experience was surreal for both of them. Their episode (Season 12, Episode 4) aired in November during election coverage, so it was aired again on January 1st of this year! Watch a preview here.
Of course, COVID protocols were in effect, and as Maynard put it, “We had to be quarantined the whole week prior... We had a pretty lush and relaxing set up though.” He said this week of isolation helped to get him in the mindset and ready for their big moment.
Khasha and Maynard met in 2002 and decided they wanted to create a business together that helped others. Who knew they’d be in the Shark Tank in front of millions of people 18 years later?
Khasha and Maynard have come a long way in creating the products you can depend on today if your diet does not include meat or you're searching for alternatives with healthy ingredients. Khasha is a doctor and brings that mindset to his business. “I want what’s best for the patient, so we are making healthy cooking accessible,” Khasha says.
Honestly, the statistics are enough to alarm anyone...
Enter: JADA Brands. While Khasha can’t pick a favorite product, Maynard has a special place in his heart for Chicken Salt — the first product they made. So, back to the tank. What did the Sharks think?
Their pitch included an actor dressed as a caveman to present the question: How have seasonings not evolved over the year? JADA's collection is a no-brainer for those who are looking to spice up their seasoning options while also keeping it healthy and 100% vegan.
And… The sharks loved it!
Samples for the Sharks included all five Chicken Salt seasonings on both fries and popcorn as well as their newest product, Plant-Based Chick'n Mix. The innovative meat alternative was a hit! JADA's Chick'n Mix was introduced over the air on Shark Tank and became a product that Khasha and Maynard were very excited about. It doesn’t require refrigeration, skips the unhealthy additives, is low in sodium, has 20 grams of protein, and 120 calories! Plus, it can be molded into any shape from a nugget to a tender.
Barbara Corcoran said, “Let me tell you guys, this tastes exactly like chicken!” With agreement from the other sharks as they scarfed down their samples. The sharks nailed the duo with tons of questions, but they handled them all with grace and impressive numbers.
They expected the sharks to be concerned about their day-jobs, but as they explained, their 9-5 roles are a side hustle while their dream is to work on JADA Brands full time! As Maynard noted, “Khasha is the only person who can go from a skin cancer removal to negotiating a distributor deal literally within 10 minutes.”
Plus, Khasha’s experience in medicine and working with patients and Maynard’s experience as a creative, engineer and business owner have helped the business.
This all culminated into a deal! Khasha and Maynard left the tank with an offer from Barbara and are so excited for what’s to come in their partnership.
The future of JADA Brands is growth. At the end of the day, both Khasha and Maynard aim to change the way people cook and offer healthy yet delicious alternatives to what’s currently on the market.
Khasha says, “Our initial goal was to make chicken salt a household name, and Shark Tank did that for us and we’re so grateful for that. That alone is a huge accomplishment.” Moving forward, the pair want to grow the brand, continue to create healthy alternatives that make a difference in people’s lives.
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