Discover how Holly Cooper turned fried green tomatoes into a $3 million business after securing a Shark Tank deal. Get a taste of the delicious Southern dish that started it all!
If you’re from the south, fried green tomatoes won’t be something new for you, if you don’t know what that is, you’ve got to try this one.
Hailing from Nashville, Tennessee, Holly Cooper is behind the unique idea of Fried Green Tomatoes but on food trucks. Yes, the dish is well known in the south but it had yet to come up with a vision to commercialize it and sell it across the US on Food Trucks!
The idea was unique and the sharks loved it, but did she get a deal at Shark Tank? Is the business still running? What is her net worth? These are the question everyone has after they’ve watched the Shark Tank episode featuring Fried Green Tomatoes. And, we’ll be answering these questions in this article; so grab your popcorn and hop in!
Fried Green Tomatoes – The Southern Specialty at Shark Tank
The food trucks operated under Holy Cooper are like the McDonald’s of fried green tomatoes. All the dishes at those trucks are freshly cooked and the ingredients are top-notch as well, according to Holly Cooper.
The Bacon Lettuce Fried Green Tomato sandwich is the main meal, and it is loved by everyone. Along with that, the truck offers a series of delicious southern meals including, grouper sandwiches, shrimp po boy, catfish sandwiches, etc.
Their secret sauce that goes with hand-battered fried tomatoes is also unique, but don’t take our word for it, one taste and you’ll know!
Fried Green Tomatoes Business Model, Explained
A 16-foot trailer, the food truck, is available at events and sells a good amount of product. According to Holly Cooper, one food truck makes 600 to 800 dollars an hour which is pretty good for a food truck. And, the demand is so high that customers have to wait more than an hour to get their favorite meals.
Now, the food truck is all good and well, but Mr. Wonderful was concerned that there are thousands of food trucks in the US, what sets the Fried Green Tomatoes truck apart?
Well, here comes the other business model to keep the company relevant. In 2016, they sold the “batter” in 42 states and covered over 600 stores. In 2015, Fried Green Tomato made $268,000 in sales.
About Holly Cooper
Once a salesperson, Holly Cooper decided to make use of her passion for Southern food and her exceptional sales skills and came up with the food truck idea. She has just under 20 years of experience in culinary and has had previous successful businesses that she sold for some good.
She started the Fried Green Tomatoes food truck company in 2018 and the business is generating good revenue in 2023.
Did Fried Green Tomatoes Get a Deal at Shark Tank?
At the pitch, Holly Cooper asked for $200,000 for 15% percent of Fried Green Tomatoes, valuing the business at $1.3 million. Mr. Wonderful thought that the business is still in the early phases, and the franchise model wasn’t operational, so it wasn’t for it, and he was out.
Barbara, on the other hand, saw potential in the business and said, “you can sell like crazy, and I am your dream partner… I can make you rich in two years, no doubt in my mind.”
And there she goes, Holly Cooper takes Barbara’s offer to sell 30% of Fried Green Tomatoes for $200,000.
Is Fried Green Tomatoes still in Business?
Well, yes, the business is doing great and generating good numbers. As a matter of fact, Holly Cooper’s story of getting fired as a salesperson and closing a $200,000 deal at Shark Tank was featured on CNBC.
According to UberSuggest, FriedGreenTomatoes.co is visited by some 6000 unique visitors per month. Even if the conversion rate is 2%, their products are bought by more than 100 customers per month. And, that’s only from the website. According to Cooper, the actual business was food trucks, not selling the ingredients online.
So, we can easily say that the business is still running and making good gains. How many gains? The founder didn’t share any details, so we won’t make any false assumptions.
Fried Green Tomatoes Net Worth in 2023
At the time of the Shark Tank deal, which was $200,000 for 30% of the company, Fried Green Tomatoes was worth $666,667. But the sales have been improving, valuing the business at over a million dollars.
So, Fried Green Tomatoes from Shark Tank is worth more than $1 million in 2023. The number is projected to grow, as new trucks are sold and start operations across the United States.
Do keep in mind that the valuation is only of the business, not the entrepreneur Holly Cooper’s. We do know that she made money in sales and sold previous businesses. So, if we take that into account, Holly Cooper, the founder of Fried Green Tomatoes is worth more than $2 million.
Final Words
In conclusion, Holly Cooper’s Fried Green Tomatoes has become a successful food truck business after securing a deal on Shark Tank in 2018. Their unique take on the southern specialty has gained popularity across the United States, with food trucks and online sales.
With the help of Barbara Corcoran, the business is now worth over $1 million in 2023, and Holly Cooper’s net worth is estimated to be more than $2 million. As the business continues to expand and gain more customers, the future looks bright for Fried Green Tomatoes.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Fried Green Tomatoes from Shark Tank is still running. They make good money and have food trucks that sell their food, as well as selling their batter across the US. The founder hasn’t said how much the business is worth, but it’s worth more than one million dollars.
Fried Green Tomatoes is owned by a woman named Holly Cooper. She has a successful history in sales; despite that, she was let go and started a food truck business, Fried Green Tomatoes, and the business is successful now.
Fried Green Tomatoes was successful after Shark Tank due to increased customers and business expansion through food trucks and batter sales. Barbara Corcoran’s investment and business strategy helped the founder refine her business.
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