Details You'll Want To Know About Shark Tank's Wellingtons
Wellingtons has been a favorite in Los Angeles since 2020, but its tasty concept — classic and creatively prepared beef Wellingtons, delivered frozen to your door, to be thawed, baked, and enjoyed — has just received a national spotlight, thanks to the appearance of founders Arya and Anastasia Alexander on Shark Tank. The long-running ABC reality show recently kicked off its 15th season, and the husband and wife duo showed off their steak and puff pastry chops in the third episode, which aired October 13, 2023.
Although beef Wellington is a traditional dinner dish dating back to the 19th century, Wellingtons has come up with some shockingly original variations. A Nutellington, for example, which stuffs the Wellie's flaky outer crust with sweet and creamy Nutella, is perhaps the most innovative twist. But the Cheeseburger Beef Wellington and Buffalo Chicken Welly Bites also subvert the traditional concept, as does the morning-friendly Breakfast Wellington.
The company has received raves for these offerings. Delivery partner Goldbelly's product page for the company, for example, is chock-full of review adjectives like amazing, delicious, and sensational. And Wellington's website, where products are also sold, boasts nothing but five-star reviews. Of course, Shark Tank's investors — which — in this episode – included Mark Cuban, Barbara Corcoran, Kevin O'Leary, Lori Greiner, and first-time Shark (and Fanatics CEO) Michael Rubin — are interested in more than just taste.
How Gordon Ramsay inspired the company's founding
The recent Shark Tank appearance may have been the first time Wellingtons' founders were on a reality television show, but they're obviously familiar with the genre. In fact, the couple credits acclaimed chef and food-based reality show veteran Gordon Ramsay as the inspiration for creating their business. Alexander and Geroulis were looking for ideas for dinner and ended up watching Ramsay prepare a beef Wellington on an April night in 2020. They immediately knew that was what they wanted for dinner and were selling beef Wellingtons soon after.
In addition to being an inspiration for the company's start, Ramsay appears to be a continuing influence. A menu description from Wellingtons regarding a new breakfast version of its signature product muses, "Ever wonder what Gordon Ramsay would cook if he worked the breakfast shift at McDonald's...now you know." So Wellingtons itself, as well as the new Breakfast Wellington, were created with the iconic Scottish chef in mind.
There are slight differences, though, between Ramsay's famed recipe and Wellingtons' signature product. Both beef Wellington recipes, for example, showcase choice steak cuts (beef tenderloin or a more center-cut Chateaubriand), as well as Dijon mustard for flavoring. Only Ramsay's recipe, however, is layered with prosciutto.
Wellingtons LA already has some high-profile partners
If there's one thing the investors on Shark Tank like, it's a business with a successful model and a proven track record. Wellingtons accomplished both prior to its debut appearance on the show and, to date, has engaged in several high-profile partnerships.
When the company first opened, Alexander and Geroulis sold their Wellington-based preparations to friends and family in the Los Angeles area. But in recent years, they've teamed up with partners like Goldbelly, Locale Market, and Pink Dot to achieve national distribution. Although the latter two companies offer regional food delivery services in California, food items sold via Goldbelly's online marketplace are delivered from coast to coast.
Prices are as much as one would expect for what's traditionally a luxury food item. The personal-size Classic Beef Wellington sells for $35 (the larger version, which feeds up to four, is $90, and an XL-sized option is $180). Many of the creative variations, however, feature more modest price tags. The decadent Nutella Wellington is only $15, as are Buffalo Chicken Welly and Cheeseburger Welly Bites. The Breakfast Welly, meanwhile, is, at $13, the most affordable food item the company sells. All offerings, it should be noted, are shipped with a selection of sauces, including Black Truffle Oil.
What happened to Wellingtons on Shark Tank
The Sharks thoroughly enjoyed the sample beef Wellingtons they sampled during the Alexanders' appearance on "Shark Tank." All five of them appeared impressed, especially Michael Rubin, who described the specialty food item as "great, not good." However, the Sharks found themselves less impressed with the financial details shared by the couple, who were seeking $200,000 for a 10% equity stake.
While Wellingtons had impressive sales of $313,000 its previous year, it wasn't enough for the company to turn a profit. In fact, despite the strong sales numbers, Wellingtons ended up with a loss of $260,000. Kevin O'Leary pointed out that this was primarily due to the company's business model, which relied on a partnership with Goldbelly rather than a direct-to-consumer approach. O'Leary was the first to bow out of potential bidding, citing a conflict of interest with another company he had invested in. Rubin and Mark Cuban followed suit, with Cuban adding that Wellingtons needed a better plan for scaling up its business. Lori Greiner felt she lacked a personal connection with the company and also declined to invest. Barbara Corcoran seemed more interested than the other Sharks but ultimately chose to pass as well.
Unfortunately, Wellingtons' founders were unable to secure a deal during their "Shark Tank" appearance. However, the company may benefit from the renowned "Shark Tank" marketing boost, and is attempting to capitalize on the increased visibility by offering a "Shark Tank" Combo Pack on its website for $150.