AJ Crook and Brett Maiolfi’s business is dedicated to producing gourmet food seasoning for dogs. Their product can add both flavor and nutrition to any dog food plan, with ten unique flavors, including Bae’con & Eggs, Peanut Butter Belly and Slammin Salmon available.
Entrepreneurs appear on Shark Tank hoping to find an investor to assist in expanding their businesses and make a deal with Mark Cuban for $100k and a 20% equity stake in the exchange.
AJ Crook and Brett Maiolfi
AJ Crook and Brett Maiolfi, two dog-loving entrepreneurs who created Shake it Pup to add flavor and nutritional value to dry dog food, were frustrated with its bland taste. Instead, they sought an alternative to unhealthy toppers or table scraps, which may lead to obesity or digestive issues in their dogs.
The two created ten different seasoning flavors to add to dog food, such as Bae’con and Eggs, Peanut Butter and Belly, Slammin Salmon, Turkey Feast, and Pizza My Heart. Each bottle provides enough seasoning for 30-to-60 meals; ingredients were procured from local organic farmers; the product is gluten-, grain- and artificial flavoring-free!
AJ and Brett pitched to Mark Cuban on Shark Tank, seeking $100,000 for 25% ownership in exchange for $100,000 of their company. Cuban was impressed with their business plan and product, believing it to fit well within his portfolio of pet-related businesses such as organic dog food company Wild Earth and matching dog and human clothing set maker Dog Threads.
Shake It Pup was valued at $400,000 when it made its Shark Tank appearance but unfortunately fell short of expectations and closed down operations by 2021. AJ and Brett found themselves struggling to manage its demands due to internal conflicts which ultimately caused their closure. Still deeply passionate about pets, AJ and Brett rebranded as Snap Wag while continuing work on another pet-related project for 2022 launch of Shake It Pup.
Shark Tank
The Shark Tank is a top-rated reality show where entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas to an elite panel of investors – Robert Herjavec, Daymond John, Barbara Corcoran, and Kevin O’Leary being some of the experts – hoping for funding and advice for their companies. Mark Cuban often invests in these businesses, too, and he has invested in several pet-related ones, such as Wild Earth’s vegan dog treats and matching pet and human clothing set company Dog Threads.
AJ Crook and Brett Maiolfi created Shake It Pup, a flavorful food seasoning product for dogs that can alter the taste and improve the nutritional values of dry pet food. Available in various flavors such as Bacon & Eggs, Barkin BBQ, Slammin Salmon, Turkey Feast Pizza My Heart Peanut Butter Belly, this 4.5-ounce bottle costs $12 and costs only.
After appearing on Shark Tank, AJ and Brett managed to secure an investment deal from Mark Cuban of $100,000 for 20% of their business in exchange for a 20% equity stake. They hoped that having this investment from Shark Tank would enable them to increase sales and production; unfortunately, however, the business closed within six years; AJ left in 2021, while Brett rebranded as Snap Wag before closing it shortly afterward.
AJ and Brett pitched to the Sharks that their product was needed because dogs often become bored of eating the same meals daily, leading them to seek something fresh to keep them interested. Furthermore, it is natural and healthy. However, Kevin was skeptical and pointed out there is already competition in the market for dry dog food seasoning.
Investors
AJ Crook and Brett Maiolfi met in second grade through their mutual interest in pets. Inspired by this shared passion, they developed the concept for Shake It Pup, an easy meal-topper designed to add flavor and nutrients to dog food. After starting their company in 2018, the pair set out on an ambitious journey to make mealtimes fun for dogs and their owners alike, selling it as convenient shaker bottles that contain enough for 30 to 60 meals; this unique product can then be sprinkled onto traditional dog foods as usual.
Co-founders started producing products in their parents’ garages but wanted to expand their reach and put them on store shelves. So, they pitched their business on Shark Tank to find an investor who would help develop it further. Unfortunately, while no deal materialized from that appearance on Shark Tank, orders increased dramatically; unfortunately, they couldn’t fulfill them all, and many customers had to wait months before receiving their goods.
After appearing on the show, they increased production and distributed it at dog expos nationwide. They also began working with a distributor who allowed them to sell it nationwide. Unfortunately, however, their product couldn’t keep up with demand, and ultimately, they went out of business in 2021.
Though it can be disheartening to see a minor business fail, it’s important to remember that not every startup succeeds. Companies may fail due to a lack of capital or market conditions or because their founders had different goals. No matter the reason behind their demise, learning from mistakes and moving on should always be the goal.
Marketing
Shake it Pup was developed to make dog food more exciting and nutritious for dogs after they noticed they became bored eating the same kibble daily. Their entrepreneurs knew dogs could quickly tire of eating the same meals again and again; therefore, they devised an easy-to-use seasoning that can be added to any dry kibble product in an instant – Bae’con and eggs, Peanut Butter Belly or Slammin Salmon flavor options are just some of them!
The founders of this company share a long history of working with animals. After meeting as second graders and bonding over their mutual love for doggie pets, they decided to expand on this friendship by developing dry dog food seasonings, which can be sprinkled onto regular kibble for additional flavor and nutrition.
AJ Crook and Brett Maiolfi are true entrepreneurs with an impressive list of business projects under their belts, such as starting SnapWag, a dog food delivery service, and developing Shake it Pup, an edible dog food seasoning powder that adds spice and nutrition to dry kibble dishes; as well as starting SnapWag’s food delivery service and its subsequent evolution into SnapWag 2.0 with online ordering capabilities for dog owners; founding SnapWag 2.0 as an innovative service to make deliveries more accessible; founding SnapWag delivered directly into customers’ hands – creating SnapWag became part of its success story with creative business projects including SnapWag’s creation!
After their appearance on Shark Tank, entrepreneurs saw an explosion of orders; unfortunately, they could not fulfill all of them quickly enough and apologized to customers for any delays in shipping.
Lori Greiner and Mark Cuban were two investors in Shake it Pup, respectively. Lori offered $100,000 with a royalty payment structure consisting of a $1 per unit royalty until her investment had been returned, after which it would decrease to $0.25 per bottle, and she has an equity stake in 3% of Shake it Pup. Unfortunately, this deal fell through, and Shake it Pup closed down business in 2021.
Net Worth
AJ Crook and Brett Maiolfi, two entrepreneurs who created Shake It Pup, a line of seasonings for dog food. After realizing that dogs were becoming bored with their daily meals and snacks, unlike humans, who can become picky eaters over time, these entrepreneurs created this product hoping that it would encourage dogs to eat nutritiously while maintaining an interest in eating their meals!
AJ and Brett’s company operated successfully for approximately one year before appearing on Shark Tank, boasting $105,000 in annual sales. Unfortunately, following their appearance, their business struggled to meet demand after airing and was unable to fulfill orders within a reasonable time frame; customer service was subpar, causing many customers to wait months before receiving their orders.
Nikki Delventhal boasts an estimated net worth of $200,000. She has made a name for herself as both a YouTuber and TikTok star, as well as contributing funds to Camper Cares charity. Additionally, she lives alone with Camper, the dog, as her lifelong companion.
The company offers ten flavor varieties, including Bae’con and Eggs, Peanut Butter Belly, Slammin Salmon, Turkey Feast, Pizza My Heart, and more. All natural products are made with human-grade ingredients that are gluten-free. All spices used come from within the USA, too! Additionally, they offer supplements with both bone/joint + probiotics blend, and digestion + probiotics blend – products available both on Amazon as well as boutique dog websites and Instagram pages!
