$1Mfor 10%
Protein Candy
Valued at $10M
The pitch
Ali Asghari, Arash Hosseini from Calgary, AB, pitched PilotsFriend in Season 12, Episode 20, asking the Dragons for $100K for 5% of the company.
- Asked for$100K for 5%
- Valuation$2Mimplied by the ask
- OutcomeDealwith Manjit Minhas, Arlene Dickinson and Jim Treliving
- Final deal$100K for 21%valued at $476K
Offers in the Den
| Dragon | Offer | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Manjit Minhas | $100,000, wanting to co-pack the product and jointly with Arlene Dickinson at 10% each | Declined |
| Arlene Dickinson | $100,000 jointly with Manjit Minhas at 10% each | Declined |
| Joe Mimran | No offer, said Manjit Minhas and Arlene Dickinson knew the industry well | Out |
| Michele Romanow | No offer, felt the founders needed serious marketing support best provided by others | Out |
| Michael Wekerle | No offer, felt the $2 million valuation with no sales was too high | Out |
| Jim Treliving | $100,000 for 10% | Declined |
| Manjit Minhas, Arlene Dickinson, and Jim Treliving | $100,000 for 21% (7% each), accepting founders' counter-offer | Accepted |
Ali Asghari and Arash Hosseini, from Calgary, Alberta, asked for $100,000 for 5% of Pilot's Friend, an all-natural energy drink developed by doctors originally launched as a tonic bitter in Europe over ten years ago, now repackaged for the North American energy drink category. Each can costs $1.52 landed to produce and retails for $4.99; the company had invested over $400,000 in the Canadian market and had $32,500 in sales over six months, only in Calgary, implying a $2 million valuation that several Dragons questioned.
Joe Mimran, Michele Romanow, and Michael Wekerle declined to invest, citing the high valuation relative to sales and the need for other Dragons' expertise. Manjit Minhas and Arlene Dickinson offered $100,000 for 20% jointly, and Jim Treliving separately offered $100,000 for 10%; the founders countered with $100,000 for 21% split three ways at 7% each, which Manjit Minhas, Arlene Dickinson, and Jim Treliving accepted.
Pitch details from CBC’s Dragons’ Den pitch page.
PilotsFriend today
- StatusIn businessLast checked September 2026
PilotsFriend is still operating and sells through its website.