Entrepreneurs and husband-and-wife duo Fred Zwar and Kirsten Maitland appeared on Shark Tank Season 15 to pitch their business, Rebel Cheese, an artisan vegan cheese company. They have spent years perfecting their artisan vegan cheesemaking techniques to deliver a real cheese taste for cheese lovers.
Now, they need the Sharks’ help to expand their business nationwide and boost sales. Did any Sharks show interest in investing in this vegan cheese company? Let’s find out more about their journey and business.
| Company Name | Rebel Cheese | |
| Founder/Co-Founder | Fred Zwar and Kirsten Maitland | |
| Founded | Oct 2019 | |
| Product | Plant base Vegan cheese | |
| Asked For | $750k for 5% equity | |
| Final Deal | $750k for 10% equity | |
| Shark | Mark Cuban and Lori Greiner | |
| Episode | S15 E9 | |
| Air Date | Dec 15th, 2023 | |
| Business Status | In Business | |
| Website | Visit Website | |
| Headquarters | Austin, Texas, United States | |
| Annual (Revenue) | $3 Million *estimated | |
| Worth / Valuation | $15 Million | |
| Buy and Watch | Buy Now | Amazon Prime |
What Is the Background of The Founder?
Husband-and-wife duo Fred Zwar and Kirsten Maitland are the co-founders of Rebel Cheese, a vegan cheese company established in October 2019 in Austin, Texas. After completing her business studies, Kirsten worked as a Program Manager at major companies like Microsoft, Dell Technologies, and RIM.
As of December 2024, the couple is fully dedicated to running their vegan cheese business full-time.
Business Pitch Episode Recap
Fred and Kirsten pitched their plant-based artisan vegan cheese company to the Sharks, seeking $750,000 for 5% equity.
They highlighted the quality and uniqueness of their products and presented their top five best-selling cheeses for tasting: Brie, Honee Pistachio Chevre, Sundried Tomato Fromage, Sharp Cheddar, and Pimento.
Lori Greiner particularly enjoyed the Pimento and Sundried Tomato Fromage. Kirsten explained that they use multiple plant-based solutions to create their cheese, with ingredients like cashews, water, salt, and culture.
Currently, the company generates sales through various channels: 16% from their e-commerce site, available as one-time or subscription-based purchases, 17% through wholesale, and 65% from their single-store restaurant.
Fred shared that during the COVID-19 pandemic, their restaurant business transitioned to e-commerce. This shift proved beneficial as Rebel Cheese is now available at 100 individual small retailers.
The cost to make their Brie is $4.67, with a landed cost of $9, and it is sold to consumers at an MSRP of $15-$20 per wheel.
In 2022, the company achieved annual sales of $2.5 million, and for 2023, it projected $3.5 million in annual sales.
The best part of their business is that it’s profitable, allowing them to earn a significant amount of money as profit. In 2024, they plan to expand their store presence by making their products available in an additional 500 stores nationwide.
Kevin O’Leary felt that the company’s valuation was too high and remarked, “If anybody here should invest in this, it’s me.” However, he is out.
Mark Cuban offered $750,000 but wanted 10% equity in the company. Robert Herjavec and Emma Grede decided not to invest in the business. Lori Greiner teamed up with Mark Cuban and offered $750,000 for 10% equity.
Fred countered with a 6% equity offer, but Mark said no. Kirsten then countered with $1 million for 10% equity, but the Sharks were not ready to offer more money or accept a lower equity stake.
Ultimately, Fred and Kirsten accepted the offer from Mark and Lori: $750,000 for 10% equity.
Sharks Offers list!
| Sharks | Offers |
|---|---|
| Robert Herjavec | No Offer |
| Kevin O’Leary | No Offer |
| Mark Cuban | $375 for 5% equity (Lori) |
| Emma Grede | No Offer |
| Lori Greiner | $375 for 5% equity (Mark) |
| Founder’s (Countered) | $1M for 10% equity (Lori & Mark) |
| Final Deals | $750k for 10% equity (Lori & Mark) |
Rebel Cheese Shark Tank Update
Appearing on Shark Tank and securing a deal with Mark Cuban and Lori Greiner was a major step for Rebel Cheese Company, which led to a noticeable boost in sales after the episode aired.
However, when we checked Lori Greiner and Mark Cuban’s official Shark Tank business portfolio website in December 2024, we found no evidence to confirm whether Rebel Cheese is still a part of their portfolio or not.
As of December 2024, the company’s vegan cheese is available in over 340 physical stores nationwide, and it is also being sold on more than 7 e-commerce sites.
Check out Shark Tank Season 15 Business Update.
You can see some businesses from Season 15 here.
