Sweet Ballz are moist cake balls that are covered with rich frostings. They can also be frozen and consumed later on.
The company was founded by two young entrepreneurs from Dallas, James McDonald, and Cole Egger.
The three initial flavors in which the cake balls were available were red velvet, chocolate, and cookies and cream. Then they introduced three new flavors: birthday cake, lemon, and salted caramel.
Sweet Ballz claims that its original products resemble those made from traditional family recipes or local bakeries.
The cake balls can be used in a variety of ways. They can be stuck on a stick and used as cake pops. They can be popped into ice creams or trifles. They can be a great topping for cakes and cupcakes, or can simply fulfill a craving when a person is in the mood to eat something sweet.
Customers from USA can directly purchase them from their website. Sweet Ballz has also started providing its products for fundraising organizations and retail grocery bakeries.
The company was a hit on Shark Tank and all the 5 Sharks were interested in offering them great deals. They were successful in getting offers from Mark and Barbara. The company generated $700,000 after appearing on Shark Tank, being available at every 7-11 convenience store after 90 days.
Things went downhill for them when there appeared to be a third owner in the company. Instead of taking advantage of their Shark Tank appearance, the three owners took down the website and ended up in court because of disputes over profits and shares.
Today, Sweet Ballz are sold in over 5000 locations all over the US through a network of 7-11 convenience stores. They also offer a food service distribution and co-packing facilities to grocery stores and other shops. It generates $5 million in revenue per annum.
How Did the Shark Tank Pitch Go?
James McDonald and Cole Egger started their pitch by saying, “Everyone loves a fresh cake ball, but very few are interested in spending the hours it takes to create them.” They told the Sharks that they have already taken on a popular product and given it a makeover. They said that the best part about their cake balls is that they sell for a fraction of the cost of most local bakery’s cake balls.
Then they both proceeded to distribute samples of the cake balls for the Sharks to try. Robert asked James to describe the different flavors of the cake balls, and he told them that they were available in red velvet, chocolate, and cookie and cream flavor.
They came to the Sharks seeking $250K for a 10% stake.
Robert asked them if they already have experience in this kind of retail environment before, and Cole revealed to them that he has indeed worked in the frozen foods category.
Kevin asked them if any of their other enterprises had been successful, and Cole repliedthat they have had a couple of different companies that made money in the past. However, he continued, that since they didn’t have the right partnership, they weren’t able to raise the capital that they needed to grow the business.
Lori commented that they got burned along the way which made them learn lessons, and Mark joined her and said that it doesn’t matter how many times they failed, they just have to be right one time.
Kevin inquired what percentage of their sales is in 7-11 stores, to which James replied 95%.
Robert asked Cole what profit did they make on the millions of sales they had that year, and he revealed that they have made $95,000 to date, to which Robert inquired that if things were going great for them, why were they on Shark Tank.
The duo stated that what matters to them is growth. They wanted to use the $250,000 to offset some of their inventory needs.
Robert gave them an offer of $250,000 for a 25% equity. Cole replied that they were offering only 10%.
Barbara told them that 10% is not an attractive deal, and offered $250,000 for a 40% share. Kevin offered them $250K for 30% but wanted a monthly distribution arrangement.
Lori jumped in and offered $250K for 36% equity, and she added that she wanted to put the products on QVC.
Robert offered $250,000 for 25% and wanted to put Sweet Ballz in Costco.
Mark wanted to join Barbara at $250,000 for 25% profits. In response to this, Lori, Robert, and Kevin joined forces to offer $250,000 for 30%.
The duo went ahead with Mark and Barbara’s offer.
Our Review of Sweet Ballz
The Sweet Ballz have an attractive packaging and they look really good in terms of appearance.
The taste is a bit more intense than expected. The chocolate flavor seems a bit fudgy and tastes more like a brownie than a cake.
The red velvet cake balls are better in taste than the chocolate ones. The frosting has a good flavor and complements the cake inside.
Pros of Sweet Ballz
- The cake balls can be consumedin a variety of ways.
- They can be used as topping on other foods or paired with coffee.
- The frosting has a refreshing taste and goes well with the taste and texture of the cake.
Cons of Sweet Ballz
- They are a bit expensive as compared to other cake balls available on the market.
- The size of the cake balls is pretty small.
- Some people find the taste to be too sweet, fudgy, and dense.
Who Is Sweet Ballz For?
These are the perfect treats for birthday parties or festivities. They can be gorged on at once or frozen away for future use. Other places where the use of these cake balls is popular are restaurants, ice cream shops, coffee shops, university canteens, etc.
Are There Any Alternatives?
- Amazeballz
- Cake Bites
- Cake Pops
Our Final Thoughts
In conclusion, Sweet Ballz has better alternatives since the cake balls have some negative reviews found on Amazon. The chocolate flavor, which is supposed to be the most popular one, tastes like cheap brownies, whereas the red velvet flavor has the best composition in terms of texture and flavor.
