Fish Fixe: Here's What Happened After Shark Tank
When these two female entrepreneurs burst onto the "Shark Tank" set, their energy level was sure to impress — and it did. As fellow soccer players at Texas A&M University, the former Division One collegiate athletes knew a thing or two about teamwork, evidenced by a lively, coordinated presentation and already impressive revenue stream from their Fish Fixe startup in Houston, Texas.
Business partners Melissa Harrington and Emily Castro were more than ready for a deep dive into the swirling tank of shark investors, which included the intrepid gang of Mark Cuban, Kevin O'Leary, Lori Greiner, and Robert Herjavec, as well as guest shark Nirav Tolia. The product worthy of landing on stage with such investor Illuminati was the Fish Fixe packets of pre-portioned, frozen seafood delivered to customer doorsteps, complete with thawing, preparation, and cooking directions.
With a company pitch line of "perfectly portioned premium seafood," the sharks were well-positioned to take a big bite, at least of the tasty samples that arrived on set.
What happened to Fish Fixe on Shark Tank?
It was Season 13, Episode 6 of the long-running ABC hit reality show, which aired in November 2021. Harrington and Castro shared their backgrounds in the seafood and wine industries, then presented an asking investment of $200,000 and a 15% stake in Fish Fixe.
They dove into statistics, revealing that only 20% of Americans eat seafood twice per week. That left 80% of people not "reeling in" the health benefits of seafood due to a lack of knowledge in obtaining, handling, and cooking fresh fish. With Fish Fixe packets, all those obstacles are eliminated — including a major turnoff for cooking seafood: the fishy odors that linger long after. The bag is odor-absorbent, so no smells are left in the kitchen.
Harrington and Castro presented cooked Fish Fixe products, including wild-caught Gulf shrimp with spicy cocktail sauce, Maryland-style crab cake with remoulade, blackened salmon, and American red snapper with a Kevin O'Leary white wine sauce, to which O'Leary playfully said, "That was good sucking up."
It appeared to have worked, as O'Leary was the first to make an offer, albeit one that would gobble up 35% ownership for the $200,000 investment. The other four sharks initially opted out, noting issues with shipping and logistics, customer acquisition costs, and variable expenses. With impressive sales of $821,000 the prior year, only $20,000 came back as profits.
Fortunately for the entrepreneurs, Greiner returned, swooping up the deal with $200,000 and 25% ownership.
Fish Fixe After Shark Tank
After the "Shark Tank" episode aired, the company started addressing distribution complications, particularly with orders coming in from both East and West Coasts of the country. But with new financial resources, they were able to course-correct and move forward.
According to a "Shark Tank" Facebook update in 2022, Fish Fixe has generated $1.1 million in sales since the founders appeared on the show. It noted how the shipping and supply issues are running smoothly from coast to coast. In addition, it has reached some other shipping goals, with the company's shipping boxes now fully recyclable and the packaging materials having attained eco-friendly status.
New since the "Shark Tank" investment is the option for ordering smaller quantities and the ability for customers to customize per taste and seasonal preferences. Prices are settling in a range that affords more profit margins, resulting in increased viability for long-term success.
Is Fish Fixe still in business?
Fish Fixe is still in business and appears to be thriving, with a robust website and a routinely updated social media presence. Customers can make a single order or sign up for a subscription with regular shipments.
Product offerings now include Norwegian salmon, halibut, Maryland-style crab cakes, rainbow trout, wild-caught Gulf shrimp, mahi, haddock, and more. They contain no antibiotics, GMOs, or chemicals.
Orders are by predetermined boxes based on season and availability, with prices as of summer 2023 ranging from $119 for an eight-piece sampler box to $159 for 16 servings. The customizable options, referred to as "Fixe Your Own Box," include 16 hand-selected servings for $169 or 24 portions for $239. A special code on the company website's home page offers a 10% discount for first-time orders.
Recipes from the Fish Fixe kitchen, which primarily features recipes developed by Harrington, offer a wealth of knowledge about cooking seafood. Recipes include information about the seafood, which is typically available in the Fish Fixe shipments, as well as tips for cooking dishes such as cucumber ginger salad with sashimi tuna. Dozens more yummy challenges include ancho chili rubbed salmon, grouper kabobs, sriracha summer shrimp, and a black drum vermicelli bowl. There's a dedicated section for air fryer recipes and kid-friendly ones.
What's next for Fish Fixe?
The Fish Fixe clan has no apparent plans to slow down the business and its offerings. They are dabbling in seasoning and spice mixtures to offer customers, providing even easier ways to put diverse and flavorful seafood dinners on tables across the country. Spices will be developed for particular types of fish or seafood, depending on taste and texture profile.
Potential expansions for the future could include high-end versions of meal kits similar to Hello Fresh or Blue Apron, but featuring their own seafood, of course.
In a 2023 interview with Katy Moms Network, Castro speaks of continuing to change the way Americans think about seafood. She notes how they're the first seafood company marketing to women, the primary purchasers of household food, which contrasts with the vast majority of seafood marketing to men who catch the fish.
Castro adds that they desire to be the Butcherbox of seafood, and their dreams are still as they were in the beginning: to encourage Americans to infuse their menus with more seafood. She also hints at soon-to-be partnership agreements to take Fish Fixe to the next level.