Lynnae’s Gourmet Pickles from Shark Tank

Lynnae’s Gourmet Pickles shark tank

Pickles are one of the refrigerator staples in households. They’re great as midnight snacks and even better when added to burgers or eaten with sandwiches and pulled BBQ. Today we’re going to take a look into Lynnae’s Gourmet Pickles from Shark Tank.

The crunchy sound of munching along with them as your tastebuds flood with the tangy, subtly sweet, and aromatic flavor of the dills is a delightful sensation. It’s honestly underwhelming when you’re cooking burgers, and you see the pickle jar empty.

However, the associated health concerns with the store-bought pickles are rising. Before, we didn’t have much awareness, but now, we know that most pre-packed pickles can include preservatives and dyes to develop taste and ensure they remain in edible condition for a long time.

This makes these super convenient jars dangerous because everyone knows preservative consumption is never good for your body.

Alas, the present hectic routines leave us with not enough spare time to make pickles at home. So, we’ve usually got no chance but to rely on these store-bought pickle jars to satiate our cravings. Thankfully for us, there are a few God-sent people who sell preservative-free and wholesomely delicious gourmet pickles to solve the problem. And Lynnae’s Gourmet Pickle was one of them.

Lynnae had just started blossoming and understanding her great grandmother’s essential tricks in the kitchen when she got interested in her pickle recipe. She began making pickles for her family and friends, and because of her love and appreciation, she later decided to scale up the production and start selling them.

That’s how the business was established by Lynnae Schneller in Tacoma, Washington. Lynnae started preparing pickles to sell alongside her sister-in-law Aly Cullinane. She used her family’s pickle recipe, which was handed over to the generations for around 100 years.

Lynnae and Aly initiated their journey from a trailer-turned-commercial-kitchen and sold more than one thousand pickle jars in their first week alone. The entrepreneurs appeared in Shark Tank’s fifth season, hoping to increase their firm’s capital.

They sought $125,000 in exchange for 20% ownership in Lynnae’s Gourmet Pickles equity. At that time, they had generated $144,000 worth of revenue and were in talks to sell their pickles in Target.

The ladies were optimistic about their future sales because of having already found a substantial target audience. After all, almost everyone loves pickles!

Lynnae and Aly had also designed a “Pickle Run” competition in their hometown, which attracted national attention and coverage they wanted to market their brand. This showed their dedication and creativity in ensuring the brand’s success.

Lori and Herjavec weren’t sweet pickle enthusiasts, and Robert also couldn’t see himself buying a pickle jar worth nearly seven dollars. Therefore, they’re both out. Barbara thinks Lynnae’s Gourmet Pickle doesn’t need another partner, and Lynnae and Aly would regret selling a part of their business this soon for too little. So, she’s out.

Mark thinks that the business will face high competition when large-scaled companies would launch a similar item at wallet-friendlier prices. Kevin agrees with this observation. So, they’re both out of the deal too. Ultimately, Lynnae’s Gourmet Pickle had to leave the platform without getting a deal with any Sharks.

However, this minor let-down didn’t deter Lynnae and Aly, who remained perseverant in expanding their business operations.

In the years that followed, the ladies worked to take their pickle jars on a nationwide exposure and got into several successful deals with leading retail chains like Costco. Lynnae’s Gourmet Pickle even sold their pickle jars to numerous smaller supermarkets, including Papa Joe, Piggly Wiggly, and Akins.

But Lynnae left Lynnae’s Gourmet Pickle in 2015 to start a Chick-Fil A franchise, and Aly changed the business name to Mrs. Pickles Gourmet. Unfortunately, they joined the long list of Shark Tank failures. The business eventually stopped operations in January 2018, and Aly now works as one of Marine View Christian Preschool’s directors.

Our Review Of Lynnae’s Gourmet Pickles

We think Lynnae’s Gourmet Pickle was a terrific venture. The pickles were made using a 100-year-old recipe. And you know what they say. Old, after all, is gold. A recipe that ancient just oozes a rich and flavorful experience.

We can almost inhale the dill’s fragrance, hear the crispiness and sense the homely, nostalgic phenomena as you bite into the pickle. Lynnae’s Gourmet Pickle was a soul food through and through, and there’s no denying it. Had it been in stores today, it would have a high potential of scoring even more fans due to its preservative and dye-free features.

Pros

  • Jars with convenient packaging
  • Great taste
  • Free from preservatives to make it healthier
  • Long strips of dill to chop, cut, or use as a whole – based on your preference
  • Versatile use: goes exceptionally well with a range of foods and dishes
  • Family recipes rarely disappoint!

Cons

  • Can be on the pricier side with numerous cheaper alternatives available on the market
  • Not for people who aren’t fans of sweet pickles

Who are Lynnae’s Gourmet Pickles for?

The pickle was a perfect choice for people who love sour and traditional pickles with a hint of sweet exoticness that notches up the overall experience. In addition, most people today are hesitant to buy pre-packed food items, from pickles to other sauces, due to their preservative content.

Preservatives can develop severe conditions like allergies, hypersensitivity, and asthma. Lynnae’s Gourmet Pickle would have been ideal for all such individuals because of its strict preservation-free ingredient list.

That way, you would have been able to consume quality dill pickles without fretting over jeopardizing your health and triggering unwanted asthma and allergies.

Are There Any Alternatives?

There are multiple alternatives to Lynnae’s Gourmet Pickle, and 365 by Whole Foods Market is among the best ones available. The organic, kosher pickle is made using baby dills, natural flavors, and turmeric. The cherry on top: it’s also vegan-friendly and ideal for people with dietary restrictions due to its low sugar and carb content.

Our Final Thoughts

Lynnae’s Gourmet Pickles was an outstanding attempt by Lynnae and Aly to share their family recipe for dill pickles with the rest of the nation.

It’s impressive how the brand developed and flourished despite the slight setback of experiencing an unsuccessful pitch with the Sharks. Even though the firm is out of business, you can still avail equally healthy alternatives, all accessible on both e-commerce platforms and physical stores.

If you found this review of a startup that appeared on Shark Tank, you’ll probably enjoy our others. You can find all Shark Tank products reviewed here on Seriosity.