Here's What Happened To Wanna Date? After Shark Tank

Wanna date? That's the bold question Melissa Bartow posed to the Sharks on Season 11 of "Shark Tank." But she wasn't spontaneously trying to sweet-talk the panel into a dinner date — instead, she was seeking $100,000 in exchange for 20% of her company. Bartow's concept, Wanna Date? revolved around fruit-based spreads, and she quickly explained her passionate mission to make the "under-utilized" ingredient the next best thing. She was a firm believer in the superfood and flashed a quick display of muscled biceps while crediting it as workout fuel. Dates are shockingly versatile (if you don't believe us, check out these types of dates, explained).

It's a tough mission to go down as one of the best Shark Tank food products ever. Bartow's time in the tank was a bumpy ride, as serious fans may recall. The college graduate came under direct fire from Barbara Corcoran, with the business mogul questioning whether Bartow's full potential was being stifled due to a lack of struggle. The comment raised heated debate over parental support and prompted Bartow to defend the fact her father was covering her rent to allow her to take Wanna Date? full-time. Sound familiar yet? No worries if not; here's how the fruit-based company fared.

"I had my first date, just three years ago during college," Bartow wittily began her pitch, before dramatically revealing a marketing display. With the Sharks attention snatched, it was confirmed she was actually talking about fruit, not romance. "I love dates so much that I created Wanna Date?," she beamed (via Shark Tank Global on YouTube).

Wheeling out samples — with flavors including chocolate, pumpkin spice, vanilla, and cinnamon — she ran the Sharks through the products while they tucked in. It was satisfaction all around. Kevin O'Leary even jumped in to share a fact: "The date fruit, along with camomile, can sustain a human being indefinitely," he explained, "that's how many bedouins centuries ago lived in the desert." Highly nutritious, that's why date syrup should be your go-to alternative sweetener or snack.

At this point, Wanna Date? was 10 months old with $31,000 in sales: 10% online, 35% through events, and 55% through wholesale.Yet things spiraled when questions turned to Bartow. Daymond John and Corcoran probed how she was supporting herself in New York City, and her reliance on her father came to light. Sharks dropped like flies: Lori Greiner, John, Barbara, and then Kevin. Most cited it being early days, while Corcoran doubted Bartow's motivation. Fortunately, Mark Cuban played ball. She accepted $100,000 for 33% of Wanna Date?, alongside confirmation that a plain-flavored spread was in the works.

Good things often take time. The Sharks were right about it being early days, but Bartow initially stood strong in her promise to make Wanna Date? a success. Sales rose immediately following the episode's airing and, as of 2023, it had scaled to $5 million in sales — with products (eventually) flying off digital and literal shelves. The date-based spreads retailed on Amazon and in stores like Walmart and Whole Foods. Bartowalso seemed to lean into John's advice to keep herself central to the product, with the official Instagram handle called @wannadatemelissa and bond-curating copy like "Your Health & Wellness Bestie." 

Yet, after seven years in action, the company made a heartfelt announcement on Facebook and Instagram. As of October 2024, the business was winding down and selling the last of its stock. The message had a personalized sign-off from the creator: "I don't consider this a failure, but a pivot." The reactions were an ode to the company's achievements. "Oh how I miss it," one user commented, "I am on my last spoonful of Wanna Date as I write this. I can't find anything similar out there." Will there be more date-focused products on the market soon? Disappointingly, the jury is out. Might we suggest a no-bake dates and oats snack bars recipe as a slight sweetener?

Why did Wanna Date? come to an end? It's difficult to say. The company has not publicly revealed its reason behind shutting shop, although it does align with the average lifespan of businesses in the U.S. When most people believe that roughly 50% of start-up companies are doomed to fail in their first year, it's hardly shocking that 65.3% actually cease operations in their first decade (via Commerce Institute). That initial "Shark Tank" publicity and $100,000 funding from Cuban undoubtedly pushed Wanna Date? in the right direction. And the company's seven years of surviving (and thriving) is no mean feat. Unfortunately, it just seems like the business ran its natural course.

It's important to understand that Bartow's business out-lasted many other ventures from "Shark Tank" contestants. Here's what happened to Coffee Joulies after Shark Tank — even after founders Dave Patrillo and Dave Jackson received hefty initial offers. Success on the show is no golden ticket guarantee.

The decision to cease sales of the spread was likely driven by a combination of decreasing financial viability and increasing lifestyle sacrifices for Barstow. Her last post on the company's Facebook page, dated November 23, 2024, is particularly telling. It reads: "I'm looking forward to finally sharing that part of my life, traveling off-grid again, and exploring this big beautiful world full of opportunities to meet, connect, capture & create." She specifically nods to redirection, writing, "It is never too late to change paths."

The Wanna Date? website is officially disabled, and on Instagram, the bio states the company is out of business and redirects users to a personal page @mel_tow. The official update is that Bartow, now 28, is embracing a career as a full-time pilates instructor. She is running NYC-based sessions and seems to be leaning into content creation, sharing sneak peeks of video edits on her personal page. Overall, though, she seems to be embracing downtime with loved ones after (what was surely) a demanding period behind the scenes.

Those looking for a spread replacement might be out of luck; Wanna Date? was self-claimed to be the first of its kind. Customers have reported struggles to source alternative products, and it looks like you might be left floundering for the foreseeable future. Perhaps you could create a blend yourself? Or, to creatively scratch the date craving, try the fruit in a different form, like Biona organic date syrup. Date syrups are one of the best molasses substitutes to use in baking. There's no reason to miss out on the fruit's health benefits. Wanna Date? is great inspiration for a healthier lifestyle moving forward.