People everywhere love eating ice cream. It is a sweet, cold treat that brings joy to children and adults alike. But many people don’t realize how much fresh fruit gets thrown away every year because it looks imperfect. Across farms in the United States, fruit with bumps, bruises, or odd shapes is often left to rot or tossed in the trash. This happens even if the fruit tastes perfect.
Farmers lose money on this wasted fruit, and it creates a huge problem for the environment, too. Food waste is one of the biggest challenges facing the world. It means more water, land, and energy are used for crops that never get eaten. It also leads to higher prices for everyone.
Katey Evans, a farmer’s wife from Delaware, saw this problem firsthand. Her husband’s family has been farming fruit for three generations. She was heartbroken watching all the misshapen strawberries, peaches, and other fruits go to waste just because they were ugly. Katey wanted to create a way to use that perfectly good fruit and help farmers earn money on what they grew. That’s when she came up with Frozen Farmer.
She started making creamy ice creams and refreshing sorbets using the fruit that grocery stores wouldn’t buy. This not only saved fruit from the landfill but also gave customers a delicious farm-to-table dessert. Katey brought her idea to Shark Tank, hoping a shark would help her grow Frozen Farmer so she could reduce food waste and spread joy through ice cream.
When she appeared on Shark Tank, Katey asked the sharks for $125,000 in exchange for 20% of her company. She told them about her journey, her passion for fighting food waste, and how she wanted to get her ice cream into grocery stores across the country.
The Frozen Farmer Net Worth Shark Tank Update
Katey was looking for an investment of $125k in exchange for 20% equity in the company. At the time of the episode, she valued her company at $625k. Katey successfully secured a deal with Lori for an investment of $125k for 30% equity in the company. The investment adjusted the company’s net worth to around $417k. After the show was aired, the company experienced a big boost in exposure and later expanded into thousands of retail stores across the country. As per my rough estimate, the current net worth of Frozen Farmer is around $15 million.
Shark(s) name
Offer & Demand
Counteroffer
Accepted?
Lori Greiner
$125,000 for 30% equity
N/A
Yes
Mark Cuban
Out
N/A
N/A
Daymond John
Out
N/A
N/A
Kevin O’Leary
Out
N/A
N/A
Barbara Corcoran
Out
N/A
N/A
Katey Evans Backstory + Their Initial Pitch
Katey Evans grew up in Delaware and eventually married a fruit farmer whose family had been growing produce for three generations. Working on the farm opened her eyes to the huge amount of fruit that goes to waste because of tiny imperfections. Even small blemishes or odd shapes could make a strawberry or peach unsellable in grocery stores. Watching all this fruit get tossed was heartbreaking.
She wanted to help her family and other farmers get more value from what they worked so hard to grow. That’s when the idea for Frozen Farmer was born. Katey started experimenting in her kitchen with the rejected fruit. She wanted to create something that would highlight the fruit’s natural flavors and give customers a treat they couldn’t resist.
At first, she sold her ice cream at a small farm stand and local markets. People loved it. They liked knowing their sweet treat helped reduce waste and support local farmers. Word spread, and soon she had her ice cream in 70 grocery stores across Delaware and surrounding areas. But there were many challenges in the early days. Katey struggled with the logistics of making enough ice cream to meet demand.
She also found it difficult to navigate the complex world of retail. Grocery stores wanted consistent supply, professional packaging, and reliable distribution. Without a co-packer to produce large quantities of ice cream, Katey could not expand. This is why she decided to go on Shark Tank.
When Katey pitched to the sharks, she confidently explained how Frozen Farmer uses fruit that would otherwise be wasted, turning it into delicious ice cream and sorbet. She let the sharks taste samples of her products. The creamy texture and rich fruit flavors impressed everyone. Katey shared that she had sold $310,000 worth of ice cream in the past year. But she admitted she needed help to grow.
She wanted a shark who could help her find a co-packer and redesign her packaging to attract major grocery chains. She asked for $125,000 in exchange for 20% equity in her company. She hoped at least one shark would share her passion for fighting food waste and see the potential in her farm-to-table desserts.
Queries + Sharks’ Responses, and Final Deal
The first shark to respond to Katey’s pitch was Barbara Corcoran. She told Katey that she loved her story and wanted her to succeed. But she said she did not have experience in the frozen food industry. Barbara admitted that she wouldn’t know how to help Frozen Farmer grow, so she decided to go out. Katey thanked her for the kind words, even though Barbara was not going to invest.
Mark Cuban spoke next. He agreed that Katey’s idea was wonderful and thought she was a strong entrepreneur. But he said he did not want to get involved in the crowded and competitive ice cream market. Mark felt the frozen dessert space had too many established players, making it hard for new brands to stand out. He said it was not the right investment for him and went out.
Daymond John explained his concerns about logistics. He talked about how hard it is to keep ice cream fresh during shipping. Freezer space is expensive, and distribution is complicated. Daymond said he didn’t want to risk his money in a business where small mistakes could ruin the product. He told Katey he admired her passion but had to go out because he couldn’t handle the challenges of frozen food.
Kevin O’Leary, often called “Mr. Wonderful,” shared that he didn’t want to invest in ice cream either. He said there were too many brands fighting for freezer space in grocery stores. He believed the margins were too tight and the risks too high. He wished Katey luck but went out without making an offer.
Finally, Lori Greiner spoke up. Lori admitted that she rarely invests in food products, especially frozen foods. But she said Katey’s ice cream was some of the best she had ever tasted. She loved the story behind Frozen Farmer and wanted to help Katey succeed. Lori offered $125,000 in exchange for 30% equity in the company. She also promised to help Katey redesign her packaging and get her products into big retail chains.
Katey quickly accepted Lori’s offer, knowing she had found the perfect partner to help Frozen Farmer grow.
Product Availability
Frozen Farmer’s products are different from other ice creams on the market. They are made from fruits that grocery stores would throw away because of how they look. But the ice cream tastes rich, smooth, and full of real fruit flavor. The line includes classic ice creams, creamy fruit blends, and dairy-free sorbets. Each pint contains a high percentage of fruit, giving customers a sweet dessert with less fat than traditional ice cream.
Customers say the ice cream tastes fresh and homemade, with flavors like Strawberry Sorbet, Peach Sorbet, and Mixed Berry Cream.
After Katey’s appearance on Shark Tank, Frozen Farmer ice cream became available in more places than ever. You can now find Frozen Farmer pints in over 8,000 retail locations across the country. Stores like Walmart, Kroger, Stop & Shop, Giant Foods, Marianos, and many others carry Frozen Farmer in their frozen aisles. The company’s website also sells pints directly to customers. You can place orders online for delivery to your door or find a local store using the store locator tool on the website.
Prices vary by store, but most pints sell for around $4.99 to $5.99 each. Frozen Farmer’s website also offers catering services and ice cream truck events for parties and special occasions.
What Happened To Frozen Farmer After Shark Tank?
After Shark Tank, Frozen Farmer saw a huge boost in attention and sales. Katey and Lori worked together to redesign the packaging, making it stand out better on grocery store shelves. This new look helped Frozen Farmer catch the eyes of shoppers and compete with big-name brands. Katey focused on growing her online presence, selling ice cream through the Frozen Farmer website, and promoting her story on social media. This combination of new packaging and online sales helped the brand gain momentum.
Frozen Farmer landed deals with major retailers. Giant Foods put the ice cream in all 169 of its stores. Walmart came next, reaching out to carry Frozen Farmer nationwide. This success led to Frozen Farmer being stocked in thousands of Walmart stores. Soon, other big chains like Kroger, Stop & Shop, and Marianos added Frozen Farmer to their shelves. This rapid growth helped the company achieve over $20 million in lifetime sales by 2024.
Katey’s mission to reduce food waste resonated with customers, who loved knowing their ice cream purchase supported farmers and helped the environment.
Today, Frozen Farmer is still in business and thriving. It is one of Shark Tank’s most heartwarming success stories. Katey’s commitment to sustainability, family farming, and delicious desserts continues to inspire customers. Frozen Farmer shows how one woman’s idea can turn into a nationwide movement.
Conclusion
Frozen Farmer began with Katey Evans’ desire to stop food waste on her family’s farm. By turning imperfect fruit into ice cream, she created a brand that helps farmers, fights food waste, and gives customers a delicious treat. Katey’s appearance on Shark Tank was a turning point. Most sharks were scared off by the challenges of frozen foods, but Lori Greiner saw potential and offered $125,000 for 30% equity.
That partnership helped Frozen Farmer expand from local stores to more than 8,000 retailers nationwide. Today, Frozen Farmer is still in business and thriving, with over $20 million in lifetime sales. Katey’s journey proves that with passion and perseverance, even imperfect fruit can create a perfect success story.
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.
