With its blend of sweet and spicy flavors, sweet chili sauce epitomizes the depth of Mexican cuisine. This versatile sauce is beloved by many across the United States. However, there was a gap in the market for those seeking a sugar-free version of this beloved condiment. Enter Annie Leal and her creation, I Love Chamoy. On Shark Tank, she ran an impressive pitch that is now worth an estimated $3 million.
Annie Laile’s Story
Annie Lyle’s story resonates with Mexicans who have health issues but crave food that reminds them of home. Annie’s family is from Monterrey, Mexico, but after immigrating to the United States, her father was diagnosed with diabetes.
As a result, he was forced to change his eating habits. He stocked his cupboards with healthy snacks, but couldn’t find sugar-free Mexican candies in any store. The Monterey native searched online but couldn’t find anything suitable. Lyle eventually launched her own snacks, and the first thing that came to mind was her favorite, chamoy.
Founding of I Love Chamoy
At the time, Anne was working as a social media manager for a culinary engineer, who she asked to help develop a new product. After creating 44 prototypes over six months, they finally launched I Love Chamoy in late 2021.
They used monk fruit, a natural sweetener with no calories. Anne documented her entrepreneurial journey on TikTok and used the platform to sell 750 bottles in her first production run. TikTok played a key role and the company has more than 420,000 followers.
Viewers suggested she remove the synthetic food coloring, and Leal followed suit. She and her business partner started over, deciding to use hibiscus flowers for the next round. Leal applied to Shark Tank in early 2023 and passed the rigorous screening process.
After Shark Tank
The episode airs in October 2023, and the publicity from Shark Tank should help them surpass their $4 million sales goal for this year. Anne only found out a few weeks ago that her episode would air, and she’s working to make sure she can fulfill the order. Turning down Kevin’s offer was the right decision, she didn’t need the sharks, and she got free advertising.
If you want some sugar-free products to sweeten your food and drinks, you can visit ILoveChamoy.com and buy a bottle for $35. Another way to buy it online is through their Amazon and TikTok stores. They are sold out on Amazon but are available at over 200 HEB locations.
There are three flavors to choose from: Original, Chili Mango, and Pickle. Each bottle costs $12, but you can save some money by buying a three- or six-pack. I Love Chamoy has over 1,300 reviews on its website, with an average rating of 4.8 stars. According to I Love Chamoy’s TikTok, they are working on a new flavor – Spicy Watermelon. The company has moved shipping and handling to a new warehouse for this project.
Categories: Shark Tank
Source: svlsf.edu.vn