Fatso

Jill Van Gyn of Victoria, British Columbia, founder and CEO of FATSO Peanut Butter, asked for $200,000 for 15% of her company. FATSO is an all-natural peanut butter fortified with flax, super fats, and prebiotic fibre, priced at about $11 a jar, positioned between cheap mass-market peanut butter and expensive nut butter alternatives. Jill Van Gyn purchased the brand for $15,000 as a struggling early-stage product and rebuilt it, generating $140,000 in sales in her first year and $160,000 in sales in the first six months of the current fiscal year, selling into both conventional grocery and higher-end retailers like Whole Foods. She was the sole employee, handling marketing, distribution, and deliveries herself.

Vincenzo Guzzo went out, saying he didn't know enough about the product category. Lane Merrifield offered $200,000 for 35%, Manjit Minhas offered $200,000 for 25%, and Michele Romanow offered $200,000 for 25%, all citing Jill Van Gyn's strength as the key asset. Arlene Dickinson offered $200,000 for 30%, emphasizing her food and beverage growth expertise and mentorship network, and Jill Van Gyn accepted her offer.

Fatso is still operating and sells through its website.