Busy people often opt for food that is fast and convenient, but not always healthy. Simply Good Jars aimed to change that by offering fresh, healthy salads in reusable jars designed for eating on the go. Founder Jared Cannon pitched the concept on Shark Tank and accepted an on-air deal with Mark Cuban and Lori Greiner. Simply Good Jars was worth $6 million at its peak but is now effectively worth $0 as they closed down in October 2025.
Jared Cannon’s Background
Jared Cannon is from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and trained as a chef at The Culinary Institute of America. He has a bachelor’s degree in Restaurant Management from Florida International University and an MBA from Temple University.
The Pennsylvania native started his career as a line cook at Outback Steakhouse and Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant. In 2005, he became the lead cook in Bistro 821. A year later, he joined The Ritz-Carlton Hotel.
Next, he was hired as a sous chef in Stratos Restaurant Group and FS Food Group. In 2012, he returned to Iron Hill as an executive chef, a position he later held at Di Bruno Bros and Tria.
Founding Simply Good Jars
In 2013, Cannon served as CEO of Sapor Food Group, and in 2015 he was recruited as a district manager for fast-casual chain Honeygrow. Two years later, he founded Simply Good Jars.
Starting with a $1,000 loan, Cannon developed a line of salads packaged in reusable jars. Customers could return empty jars to partner locations, triggering a meal donation to people in need.
The founder got the product into vending machines and coolers in high-traffic areas. In 2019, Simply Good Jars generated $300,000 in sales, followed by $475,000 in 2020. During the pandemic, the business shifted toward convenience store distribution to stay afloat.
Jared’s Shark Tank Pitch
By 2021, Simply Good Jars was losing roughly $900,000 per year, but Cannon believed scale could lead to profitability. He appeared on season 12 of Shark Tank, offering $500,000 for 7% equity. By this time, Jared only had 51% ownership and would lose majority control if he got a deal.
Kevin O’Leary and Lori Greiner were the ones who first expressed faith in Jared’s vision. The two Sharks joined forces and proposed a $500,000 loan at 9.5% interest and 7% equity.
After a discussion about getting help from more outside investors, Cuban said the company didn’t need more funding. He asked Lori to join him in offering $500,000 cash for 10%. Lori agreed to cut Kevin out of the deal, and Jared accepted the offer.
What Happened After Shark Tank?
After the Shark Tank episode aired, they received over 750,000 inquiries and sales grew by 1,500%. The deal with Mark and Lori didn’t close as reported by Sharktankblog.com. As the saying goes, “you don’t win friends with salad”, the same can be said for Sharks!
Cannon followed Cuban’s advice to stop raising capital and focus on revenue. This led to distribution partnerships with Wawa and GoPuff, along with direct-to-consumer sales via SimplyGoodJars.com.
The company later introduced All Day Parfaits, featuring flavours such as Apple Crumble and Chocolate Peanut Butter. In May 2024, Simply Good Jars announced a collaboration with Primal Kitchen to roll out salads via Smart Jar Technology vending machines, which were showcased at the National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago.
Despite these efforts, the business remained unprofitable. Simply Good Jars ceased operations in October 2025, and its website and distribution channels are no longer active. While the company was once estimated to be worth around $6 million, the brand ultimately shut down without an acquisition. Jared Cannon currently works as the Vice President of Commercial at FreshRealm.
