A Perfect Pear is a company that produces several pear-based products such as jams and jellies. The products are all organic and homemade; there are no additives and preservatives. Additionally, it’s made from pears which contain anti-inflammatory properties, decreasing your chances of getting diabetes.
Susan Knapp was the founder of Perfect Pear. She received numerous orders after her products gained a lot of attention in local fairs and won several awards. Knapp didn’t realize that the demand for her jams and jellies had grown that much until she stopped making them during the year she took care of her mother, who was battling cancer at the time. All her friends and family asked why they weren’t available anymore, and she realized that her products had a lot of demand and could be commercialized.
The bestselling point of A Perfect Pear is that their pear jams taste delicious. On top of having all the added benefits of pears, it’s an organic product that not only tastes good but is also healthy.
Before coming on Shark Tank, Susan had been trying to build her brand and partner with food trade shows. She needed the Sharks’ investment to grow her company as she had many orders on the table but didn’t have the necessary capital to continue growing.
Are They Still an Active Company?
No, they are not active. They stopped selling their products a few years ago.
How Did the Shark Tank Pitch Go?
Susan appeared on Shark Tank with an initial ask of $500,000 in return for a 15% equity in her business.
She started her pitch by explaining how she started to make jams and jellies at home and for the local county fairs. Knapp knew her product was popular when she started winning local food competitions. But she didn’t realize how loved it was till the year she stopped making them, and the overwhelming response gave her an idea that it could be a sellable product.
She then gave the Sharks numbers of how many orders she had currently received. O‘Leary asked her if she’s made any sales, to which Knapp replied that they had made over $700,000 in sales. Knapp further explained that their net profit is at 2%, but they expect it to increase to 10% by the end of next year.
Knapp had over $100,000 worth of orders in waiting because she did not have the capital due to the credit freeze, and this is where she needed the Sharks to step in and help her.
O‘Leary made the first offer: $500,000 for 70% of the company. Knapp turned this down almost immediately as she wanted to get the investment but still maintain control of her company. Daymond then made an offer for 51% equity in her company. Harrington jumped in with an offer of 50%, which Robert joined in on.
Knapp had a hard time deciding with three offers in front of her. She tried to counter with an offer of 49% equity in her business, but Robert and Kevin refused, and settled for their deal of 50% in return for $500,000.
Our Review of A Perfect Pear
A Perfect Pear made profitable sales while they were still up and running, but the company closed after a while.
The good news was that it contained natural fruit and was organic. The product was homemade, but the quality remained as good as that of a manufactured one. It wasn’t too sweet and was pear-based, making it highly nutritious.
The bad news is that there weren’t a lot of flavors available. The products were only pear flavored, and their specialty was jam and jellies only. This would not have appealed to people looking for ways to control their diet and avoid sweet things.
Pros and Cons of A Perfect Pear
Pros of A Perfect Pear
- Had a lot of nutritional value
- Was organic as it was made from real peaches
- Not too sweet
Cons of A Perfect Pear
- Not suitable for people with OAS
- Only came in the form of jam
- Not suitable for people trying to control their calories
Who is A Perfect Pear for?
A Perfect Pear was for everyone focused on having a hearty breakfast at the start of the day. It was also an excellent food item for parents to give their kids before school or for lunch. Working parents found this convenient as a quick lunch fix for themselves and their kids.
Are There Any Alternatives?
A Perfect Pear was a well-loved product when it was available in the markets, but there are quite a few alternatives now.
Bonnie’s Jams is also a company that manufactures organic jams. Just like A Perfect Pear, it contains natural fruit and is pear-flavored. However, it has received complaints about not having a discernable pear flavor or a great taste. It’s also not as widely available in stores as A Perfect Pear’s products were and is comparatively expensive.
Our Final Thoughts
Although A Perfect Pear is no longer in business, it was popular during its time and had considerable demand. People had expressed so much interest in the product that over 260 stores were selling it. After growing her business for a while and satisfying hundreds of customers with her jam, Susan ended the business.
If the business had not shut down, it had a lot of potential to continue growing. Her product had a lot of nutritional value and could be used in a variety of foods. Some people might be concerned about their diet, but this would have thrived as a quick breakfast fix for kids.
