$1Mfor 10%
Protein Candy
Valued at $10M
The pitch
Gabriel Jousset from Montreal, QC, pitched Vanpackers in Season 18, Episode 9, asking the Dragons for $300K for 15% of the company.
- Asked for$300K for 15%
- Valuation$2Mimplied by the ask
- OutcomeDealwith Arlene Dickinson
- Final deal$300K for 25%valued at $1.2M
Offers in the Den
| Dragon | Offer | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Vincenzo Guzzo | Wanted founder to drop capital-intensive van rental business | Out |
| Arlene Dickinson | $300,000 for 25%, conditional on focusing on e-commerce | Accepted |
| Wes Hall | Not ready for an investor to disrupt business model | Out |
| Manjit Minhas | Too much distraction from van rental side | Out |
| Michele Romanow | Good business but going out | Out |
Gabriel, from Montreal, QC, asked for $300,000 for 15% of Vanpackers, a company selling plug-and-play conversion kits that turn ordinary vehicles into camper vans in under five minutes, along with a camper van rental division in Montreal. The kits cost about $1,800 to make and sell for $4,500, with the company reporting $1 million in revenue in 2022, split between kit sales and van rentals, and about 50% year-to-date sales growth in 2023, with a 15% EBITDA margin. Sales are made online, driven partly by a YouTube video that reached 5 million views.
Vincenzo Guzzo, Wes Hall, Manjit Minhas, and Michele Romanow all went out, citing concerns about the capital-intensive rental division and lack of focus on the higher-margin e-commerce kit business. Arlene Dickinson initially also expressed doubts about the valuation but returned after Gabriel responded well to feedback, offering $300,000 for 25% on the condition he focus on the e-commerce business, which Gabriel accepted.
Pitch details from CBC’s Dragons’ Den pitch page.
Vanpackers today
- StatusIn businessLast checked September 2026
Vanpackers is still operating and sells through its website.