Indulging in sweet treats is a guilty pleasure for many. But what if you don’t have to feel guilty? What if there was a snack that mimicked the taste of candy but had health advantages? Enter Magic Dates, Diana Jarrar pitched her business on Shark Tank, and got a deal with Kevin O’Leary. As of 2023, Magic Dates is worth an estimated $600,000.
About the Founder
Diana Jarrar is originally from Syria. Her family moved to the United States when she was 11 years old and settled in Los Angeles, California. There, she studied marketing at California State University, Northridge.
While she was still in college, Diana was a training developer for the American Association of Aesthetic Medicine and Surgery (AAAMS). She held the position for two years after getting her bachelor’s degree.
After this, the Syrian immigrant became the CEO and chef of The Aventine Hill in 2012. The following year, she worked in real estate as an agent and marketing director at Rodeo Realty, Inc.
Founding the Company
Dates are ingrained in Diana’s blood due to her upbringing in the Middle East. Dates are a staple food for travelers as well as a royal banquet delight. As an adult, Jarrar wanted to share the beauty of the fruit with the western world.
She started growing dates at home and decided to use some of her culinary talents to make date-based snack bites that tasted like sweet delicacies. It has no added sugar, so it was a healthier choice compared to candies.
Magic Dates initially started in 2016 but didn’t officially launch until two years later. In 2018, the business made $30,000 in revenue and she grew that to $130,000 by 2020. Impressive steady growth, driven by retail sales.
Shark Tank Appearance
As Diana Jarrar was planning to expand operations, she needed to raise. The Syrian entrepreneur appeared on season 13 of Shark Tank, seeking $150,000 for a 10% equity stake.
Diana made a strong introduction and it was clear she spent a lot of time practicing her pitch. The Sharks were impressed by the variety of products and were interested in her background. She shared her sales figures and forecasted revenue of $175,000 for 2021.
Jarrar revealed her new packaging but Lori and Mark preferred the old packaging. Lori even suggested shutting the company down to pursue a degree in human rights law. All the Sharks dropped out except for Mr. Wonderful. Kevin O’Leary offered $150,000 for 33.33% and she had no choice but to accept the offer.
After Shark Tank
Magic Dates got the same rapid increase in sales that many companies experience after featuring on Shark Tank. The real challenge for Diana Jarrar will be getting repeat orders and maintaining strong sales after the hype dies down.
This exposure helped the company create a new product, Date Flight, a box item filled with organic dates. It’s available on Amazon and MagicDatesBites.com. They can also be found at a number of WholeFoods and local stores in LA, Venice, and Long Beach.
Their standard snack bites have an average rating of 3.9 stars from 314 reviews on Amazon. Magic Dates is worth an estimated $600,000 and Kevin O’Leary wants to raise that by making a deal with big retailers like Walmart.
