Back9 Dips - Shark Tank Update

David and Nique Mealey brought their buffalo chicken dip business to Season 4 of Shark Tank seeking $150,000 for 15% equity. The husband-and-wife team from Florida had developed their concept through their catering business, creating dips that captured "everything you get in a chicken wing on a chip" by blending white meat chicken breasts with wing sauces and dipping sauces.

Their "Bubba's Buffalo Chicken Dip" and other flavors had gained celebrity endorsement from radio host Bubba the Love Sponge and achieved distribution in 400 stores, including major chains like Publix. Over two years, they had generated $400,000 in sales with strong margins - $2.52 cost, $5.25 wholesale, and $7.99-$8.99 retail pricing.

Despite Kevin O'Leary's initial amusement at the "blended chicken" concept, the Sharks found the taste impressive. After initially declining offers from several Sharks, Lori Greiner and Robert Herjavec partnered to provide $150,000 for 25% equity, recognizing the couple's potential and wanting to give them "a shot" in the competitive food industry.

Back9 Dips initially experienced remarkable success following their Shark Tank appearance, with their website crashing from record order volumes and expansion from 400 stores to over 1,400 stores nationwide, eventually reaching Costco.

However, the business met a tragic end in 2014 when the USDA discovered undisclosed anchovies in their dip, classifying it as an undeclared allergen that posed serious health risks to consumers with fish allergies. The company was forced to recall 12,000 pounds of product, a devastating blow from which they never recovered.

The recall effectively ended the business, with their final social media posts occurring in April 2014 and their website subsequently taken down. David Mealey returned to his previous career in golf as Head Technician at Heron Creek Golf and Country Club, while Nique became a sales and marketing specialist for Gigpro.

The failure of Back9 Dips demonstrates how quickly food safety issues can destroy even successful companies, highlighting the critical importance of ingredient transparency and quality control in the food industry.