Zookies Cookies is a type of dog treat mix that you can bake at home. The treat is easy to make and is a fun alternative to pre-baked dog treats. It comes in many flavors, like peanut butter. All you have to do is add water, cut out the mix in any shape and bake it for half an hour. On top of that, they don’t use any preservatives and are gluten-free.
The company was founded by Tom Simon and Justin Miller, who decided to start the business because they loved dogs so much. They initially raised money through a Kickstarter campaign, which managed to get $26,183.
After that, they sold biscuits through their social media and donated profits to flood relief efforts. They wanted to make dog treats with all natural ingredients and utilize fun flavors and ingredients like whole oats, peanut butter and sweet potatoes.
They came to Shark Tank hoping to expand their business.
Are They Still an Active Company?
Yes the company is active and still in business.
How Did the Shark Tank Pitch Go?
They came to Shark Tank seeking an investment of $50,000 for a 20% stake in their company. They started their pitch by handing out samples and giving a summary of the kind of product they were selling. They’d business for close to nine months before coming to Shark Tank. It was said that in the first nine months of operation, Justin and Tom made about $40,000. The price of one jar of sweets is $9.99, while the price of a bundle is $24.99. The price of producing one jar is less than $2, leaving a decent profit margin for retail sales.
A few sharks had trouble making sense of the package at first. Kevin O’Leary proposed modifying the package in the future so buyers would have a clearer idea of what they were getting.
Lori Greiner walked away from the discussions because she wasn’t enthusiastic about Zookies Cookies or optimistic about the company’s prospects. As with the other two contestants, Robert Herjavec quit when he learned that such dog treats would have to be cooked before being given to the dogs. In Episode 14 of Season 10, guest shark Alli Webb offered $50,000 for 30% ownership. Kevin also considered making a $50,000 offer, but he insisted on holding 33.3% of the company.
In the end, Tom and Justin decided to take Alli up on her offer to purchase their cookie business, Zookies Cookies. In return for Alli’s $50,000 financial investment and strategic alliance, the partners decided to give up 30% of the company. Let’s change gears and find out how Zookies Cookies is doing now.
At the end of the calendar year, Alli and Zookies Cookies formalized their agreement. Compared to where it was at its Shark Tank debut in Season 10, the firm is now expected to generate more than $4 million in gross yearly revenue. Landing a deal with Alli Webb on Shark Tank is a major turning point for the firm, making this one of the show’s biggest success stories involving a pet-related business.
Our Review of Zookies Cookies
We decided to try out the product to see how it would fare in practice.
The good news is that the batch is enough to produce at least 36 cookies which is a pretty big amount. On top of that, instructions are easy to follow even if you don’t know how to cook. Plus it doesn’t take long to bake one batch. Also, if you’ve ever been curious about dog-treats, they’re made of human-friendly ingredients, so you can try out the flavors yourself too. Plus, the ingredients are natural and free from any preservatives.
The bad news is that most people might just prefer to go with dog treats instead of going through the hassle of baking a mix. Plus, the mixes aren’t friendly for kids who just want to feed their pets on their own.
Pros and Cons of Zookies Cookies
Pros of Zookies Cookies
- Natural ingredients
- Human friendly to eat
- Don’t take long to bake
- Easy recipe
- Don’t contain any preservatives
- Have a lot of flavors
Cons of Zookies Cookies
- Kids can’t bake them on their own
- Too much of a hassle to bake for some people
- A little expensive
Who Is Zookies Cookies for?
This product’s mainly aimed at people who want a healthier alternative to dog treats for their pets. It’s also a fun novelty to gift to pet owners.
Are There Any Alternatives?
There are many alternatives on the market for dog treats in the form of pre-baked organic ingredients.
The Cloud Star Wag More Bark Less Biscuits is one good alternative to Zookies Cookies. They come in four different flavors and are free from any preservatives, artificial food coloring, and even gluten. The flavors include jerky, meatballs, liver and chicken among others. They come in a lot of fun shapes like stars and clouds.
Our Final Thoughts
The product’s main selling points are that the ingredients are all-natural, which is pretty unique for dog treats since most contain a lot of food coloring and artificial flavors. It’s also free from any preservatives and is a pretty healthy option for pet owners trying to look out for their dogs.
And it’s a great gifting novelty since they’re easy to prepare, you can cut them out in any shape you want and it doesn’t take long to bake them. However, it’s harder for kids to bake independently without adults’ help. And people who live a busy lifestyle might prefer to just use ready-made dog treats. Especially in a fast-paced world.
The product’s expensive as compared to traditional dog treats, and they don’t have as many flavors as some conventionally popular alternative brands.
