Here's What Happened To Meat The Mushroom After Shark Tank

Baltimore couple Marvin and Aleah Montague first introduced Meat The Mushroom to the "Shark Tank" crew during its fifteenth season. After applying to be on the show twice before, the third attempt was the charm. The pair started the business in 2021, after years of living out their fully plant-based lifestyle. Marvin's switch to veganism was initially a spiritual choice, but he later discovered it was what helped him curb an early heart disease diagnosis and relieved him of the chronic asthma that he'd experienced since childhood. This led him to experiment with making plant-based alternatives at home, with the initial goal of opening a vegan restaurant in the West Baltimore neighborhood he grew up in.

Soon after meeting Aleah, a professional in digital marketing, Marvin realized he could have more success with a vegan product. This paved the way for the two to create Meat The Mushroom and their first mushroom-based meatless bacon titled "Shroomacon," which secured them a "Shark Tank" deal. On the show, the couple explained the importance of raising their young daughter, who had been diagnosed with Down syndrome, on a healthy diet and being their healthiest selves for her. However, the judges weren't completely convinced, with concerns over previous plant-based bacon deals made on the show. Not to mention the high costs of the Shroomacon To this day, fans still wonder what happened to the Montagues and Meat The Mushroom after "Shark Tank." Here's what we know.

After sharing their story with the investors — including Mark Cuban, Daymond John, Lori Greiner, Kevin O'Leary, and the recurring guest investor and founder of KIND snacks, Daniel Lubetzky — they tried Meat The Mushroom's Shroomacon for themselves. Afterward, things got down to business quickly. The Montagues presented their numbers, sharing that they'd raked in over $238,000 in sales by the time of filming, with lifetime sales of over $360,000. The couple noted that, while they were only beginning to venture into the retail market, 93% of their sales were direct-to-customer.

When it came time for the investors to respond, Cuban had to pass due to a conflict of interest, having already invested in Mrs. Goldfarb's Unreal Deli a few seasons prior. While John recognized their achievements, he likewise passed in the end, noting the potential challenges the brand would face. And, although Greiner loved the Shroomacon, she said that she wished the pieces were longer, more like traditional cuts of bacon.

All of this was after O'Leary's immediate offer of $150,000. The catch? He wanted to be the third partner in the venture, with 33% equity, which he then raised to 34% out of frustration. Lubetzky encouraged the Montagues to accept it, but they were hesitant. Greiner then joined in on O'Leary's offer, but negotiations continued. In the end, the Montagues were left with the original deal: a $150,000 investment with 33.3% equity, split between Greiner and O'Leary.

After securing their deal, the Montagues doubled the size of their team and ramped up production — and rightly so. The show shot in the summer, and once the episode aired in January 2024 (notably earlier than prior seasons), sales for the Shroomacon went through the roof. The business sold $60,000 worth of inventory in just the 12 hours after it aired. That same week, Meat The Mushroom was featured on Baltimore's local ABC affiliate and showcased at the Winter Fancy Food Show in Las Vegas, which surely contributed to a boom in sales.

With the 16th season of "Shark Tank" now underway, the buzz surrounding Meat The Mushroom has certainly gone quieter, but it's still there. After appearing on the show, the Montagues went on "The Portia Show" to discuss their experience and their plans for the company following the "Shark Tank" deal. When asked about the future, their first answer was to find more ways to turn mushrooms into plant-based meat, with Marvin mentioning recent taste tests conducted on their pulled pork alternative — a "pulled shroom," as he called it — at pop-up locations.

However, the product doesn't appear anywhere on the Meat The Mushroom website or social media. What is there, however, is regular content about Shroomacon and a link to be notified on restocks of the product, which is sold periodically throughout the year.

So, is Meat The Mushroom still around? Long story short, yes it is. When the couple appeared on the show, they shared that the majority of their sales were direct to consumer, with a goal to expand into retail. It appears they did just that. Meat The Mushroom's signature Shroomacon product is available at select health food markets, particularly those in the Midwest, South, and Northeastern regions of the U.S., including Central Markets in Texas, Green Life Markets in New Jersey, and the cultish MOM's Organic Markets in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia.

While their product has been introduced to a wider range beyond the Baltimore area, it still leaves a lot to be desired for fans in other parts of the country. Those who can't shop for Shroomacon in stores are left to order two-packs directly from the company's website when they're available, regularly priced at $26. While the minimal ingredient list is enough to catch any vegan's eye, that price isn't necessarily practical when you consider other bacon alternatives on the market. This was the exact sort of challenge that Daymond John was concerned about following the couple's initial pitch.

While Meat The Mushroom continues to be active online and occasionally in person with pop-up locations around Baltimore, the bacon is only sold in intervals online and in small health food stores. Even so, it appears that the Montagues have achieved the goals they set on "Shark Tank."

After leaving "Shark Tank" with a deal, Meat The Mushroom has made strides in the retail market, even if it has been limited to smaller, health-food-focused stores. But that's far from the end for this mushroom meat innovation company. Not only has the brand supposedly been testing new products, including that mushroom-based pulled pork alternative, mushroom crab patties, and mushroom chicken, but Meat The Mushroom can be found semi-regularly around the Baltimore area. If you are ever around the Charm City, it's worth checking the official Meat The Mushroom Instagram page, where the Montagues regularly post updates and content from the pop-ups they host around the city.

Additionally, if you're craving mushrooms in Baltimore, consider visiting Swap Out The Swine, a vegan food truck that Meat The Mushroom provides all the alternative meats for. The rotating menu features everything from vegan loaded fries topped with Meat The Mushroom's signature Shroomacon to the "Crab Shroom BLT," made with its mushroom crab patties. It appears that the Montagues' desire to bring healthier food options to their community brought about a change, after all. Who knows? Maybe Meat The Mushroom will find its way to your city one day too.