Quevos Update: See How The Company Has Grown After ‘Shark Tank’

Quevos was already on the rise by the time founders made their way to Shark Tank, and the Chicago-based food startup seems to be headed to even more expansion.

The company, founded by Nick Hamburger and Zack Schreier, makes snack chips made out of egg whites as a more nutritious alternative to potato chips or other fatty foods. As Biz Journals reported, the product comes in a variety of flavors and has been on the steady rise since Hamburger dropped out of the University of Chicago in 2018 to run the outfit full-time.

As the report noted, Quevos had already moved into 1,000 retail locations before the owners were featured on the January 22 episode of the ABC reality series, seeking an investment that would propel their growth even more. Food-based outfits have tended to perform well on the show, especially those offering lower calorie or all-natural snack options, though it wasn’t clear ahead of the episode’s airing whether the founders were able to win over any of the Sharks.

The company attracted such big interest, they even got a personal invitation to appear on Shark Tank. The outlet reported that one of the show’s producers reached out to the founders and encouraged them to apply. They filmed the episode in August in Las Vegas, having to brave some travel restrictions and increased social distancing measures to show off their products.

According to Hamburger, the unique filming circumstances — which required them to remain quarantined after arriving in Nevada — may have given them a boost in planning their appearance. He explained that they used the time to hone their pitch.

“We couldn’t leave our hotel for eight days prior to going into the tank, so we had a lot of time to practice,” he said.

“But we were very nervous. Honestly, the most nerve-racking part was just waiting for the doors to open.”

Quevos has won some acclaim along the way, winning the University of Chicago’s College New Venture Challenge and the $15,000 top prize that went along with it. They have since been accepted into Kraft Heinz’s Springboard incubator program, which helps food startups grow into larger brands. Quevos has won over customers and fans as well, raising $71,000 on a Kickstarter campaign that initially sought just $10,000.

Quevos has also built up a significant following online, with more than 16,000 followers on Instagram. The company uses the platform to share deals, product updates, and even some recipe ideas using the chips.