It is frustrating to look for healthy snacks. Store-bought protein bars often have too much sugar and too many additives. Many people want clean snacks that taste good. But it feels like that choice does not exist. Karen Nation wanted to fix that. She saw a need for a simple way to make snacks at home. Her solution is a no-bake protein mix. It lets you control the ingredients. You can add your preferred liquid and fat. This lets you avoid hidden sugars or preservatives.
On Shark Tank Season 12, she brought her idea to the Tank. She offered tubs of nutritious mixes. She hoped a Shark could help her grow. She asked for $300,000 for 12% equity. Although no deal was made, the mix became a success. Today, Creation Nation makes about $1 million a year and earned the Best Snack award from Good Housekeeping in 2023.
Creation Nation Net Worth Shark Tank Update 2025
Karen was looking for an investment of $300k in exchange for 12% equity in the company. At the time of the episode, she valued her company at $2.5 million. Karen did not secure a deal with any of the Sharks. After the show was aired, the company experienced a good boost in exposure. As per my rough estimate, the current net worth of Creation Nation is around $1.6 million.
Shark(s) name
Offer & Demand
Counteroffer
Accepted?
Barbara Corcoran
Out
N/A
N/A
Lori Greiner
Out
N/A
N/A
Kevin O’Leary
Out
N/A
N/A
Alex Rodriguez
Out
N/A
N/A
Mark Cuban
Out
N/A
N/A
Karen Nation Backstory + Their Initial Pitch
Karen Nation grew up in foster care. She faced many challenges. She often could not eat what she needed due to allergies. Later, she studied sports nutrition. She learned that many snacks include junk. She wanted to give people a better option. She started mixing her own snacks at home. She knew others would like it too.
In 2016, she launched Creation Nation. She built recipes that are flexible. They work for different diets. She tested them over the years. She learned about co-packing and retail. She won awards before Shark Tank.
On national TV, she made snacks live. She showed how easy it is. She mixed the “Oat Yes Chocolate Chip.” She explained the stores she already had. She showed her revenue numbers. She was honest that she broke even; any profit went back into the business. She asked for $300,000 for 12% equity. She wanted help scaling co-packing and cutting costs.
Queries + Shark’s Responses, and Final Deal
Kevin O’Leary asked about profits. He wanted to know how much she made after half a million sales. When she could not give clear numbers, he questioned her financial knowledge. He dropped out due to concerns over profit clarity.
Lori Greiner said she liked the product and Karen personally. But she did not see a clear investment path. She decided not to invest.
Alex Rodriguez praised Karen and her product. But he said he only invests when founders know their numbers inside and out. He decided not to invest.
Barbara Corcoran looked at profitability too. She said she would not invest in a company that was not making money.
Mark Cuban admitted he liked the product and thought he might regret not investing. But he also dropped out, citing the same concerns.
With that, Karen left the Tank without a deal. However, Barbara did come backstage afterward to offer encouragement.
What Went Wrong With Creation Nation On Shark Tank?
The main concern was profitability. Karen couldn’t clearly state how much profit she earned. Sharks saw that sales of $500,000 could mean a few thousand or tens of thousands in profit. That uncertainty worried them. Food products often have slim margins. Karen reinvested all profits into the business. That meant she had no extra cushion.
Sharks like businesses with clear profit potential. Co-packing was another weak spot. She had experienced co-packer issues before the show. Sharks were worried about whether she could scale. Even strong Sharks like Barbara and Mark hesitated because the investment looked risky. While they loved the product and mission, they saw no stable financial foundation.
Creation Nation offers mixes in several flavors: Oat Yes Chocolate Chip, Cocoa for Coconuts, Whey Hip Chocolate Chip, Peas Love & Cocoa, and cookie mixes. They are priced around $7.99 per bag for single use. The mixes contain clean ingredients like oats, organic chocolate chips, flaxseed, and no preservatives.
They are available on the Creation Nation website and Amazon. The site features recipes, a nutrition calculator, and a store locator. They are sold in about 500 stores, including Sprouts, Whole Foods, Costco, Walmart, Hy-Vee, Albertsons, and Thrive Market.
Packaging is eco-friendly and re-sealable. Labels vegan, gluten-free, keto, and paleo. Customer reviews are mostly positive, with around 4.0–4.5 stars on Amazon. The mixes empower users to control how much sweetener and the type of protein they use. This personal touch makes the product stand out.
What Happened To The Creation Nation After Shark Tank?
After the episode aired in May 2021, the company saw a large increase in orders. They had to use multiple warehouses to fulfill demand. In the years that followed, the brand grew steadily. In 2023, their revenue reached about $1 million. They earned Good Housekeeping’s 2023 Best Snack Award for the Oat Yes Chocolate Chip mix.
They were featured on Good Morning America in 2022 and again in 2023 after the award. Retail partnerships continued to grow. By 2023, Creation Nation mixes were found at Sprouts nationwide, many Whole Foods locations, Hy-Vee, Albertsons, Thrive Market, and LA Costco stores.
Karen also used her story to give back. In 2021, she donated 10% of sales to foster care organizations to supply meals, supplies, and holiday gifts. An anonymous investor also gave $500,000 before Shark Tank in 2018, helping with production and marketing.
Today, Creation Nation remains in business. Their website is active, the mixes sell online and in stores, and social media has over 11,000 followers. Their net worth was estimated at around $1.6 million by April 2025, with 10% annual growth.
Conclusion
The journey of Creation Nation shows how passion and purpose can succeed, even without Shark investment. Karen turned her story into a product that helps people eat better. She built a clean, affordable, and flexible snack. On Shark Tank, she was impressed with the taste and mission.
But concerns about margins, profitability, and production held the Sharks back. She left without a deal, but her brand continued to grow. Yearly revenue now reaches about $1 million.
The brand won awards, appeared on national TV, and expanded across top retailers. Karen also made a positive community impact through donations. Her creation keeps evolving with new flavors, recipes, and store placements. Creation Nation is a story of grit and growth. Even without a Shark’s backing, Karen made her dream come true and created healthy snacks people love.
Hey, I’m Amna Habib, an undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor’s in Business Administration. Shark Tank has always been one of my favorite TV shows because it offers a unique glimpse into the world of entrepreneurship. The way entrepreneurs present innovative solutions to everyday problems aligns with my academic interests and fuels my curiosity about business strategies. Each pitch showcases creativity and strategic decision-making, which I find both insightful and inspiring. Watching the show has deepened my passion for business and motivated me to explore the world of entrepreneurship even further. Beyond business and writing, I love food, shopping, and spending time with my friends and family.
