Back 9 Dips
DealSpecialty Food
Back 9 Dips is a specialty food that got its big break on Shark Tank in Season 4, and convinced Lori Greiner and Robert Herjavec to invest.
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From the show
The Shark Tank pitch
- $150K
- Asked for
- 15%
- Offered equity
- $1M
- Sought valuation
- $150K
- Deal amount
- 25%
- Deal equity
- $600K
- Deal valuation
Founder David and Nique Mealy stepped onto the carpet in Season 4, Episode 4 in the episode that aired October 5, 2012, bringing their Tampa, FL business with them. Back 9 Dips, the specialty food, pitched in the Food & Drink category, one of 318 food & drink businesses to brave the Tank across all 17 seasons.
The ask was $150,000 for 15% of the company, an implied valuation of $1M.
Lori Greiner and Robert Herjavec teamed up at $150,000 for 25% equity. That priced the company at $600K, a haircut from the $1M the founders walked in asking for, which is how negotiations in the Tank usually go.
Season 4 saw 103 pitches, and 52 of them closed a deal on air. In the Food & Drink category overall, roughly 61% of pitches have landed a shark across the show's history.
The full story
Everything to know about Back 9 Dips
Back 9 Dips was a line of refrigerated chicken-based dips, with the flagship buffalo chicken dip aimed at game-day snacking and party tables. The brand came from David and Nique Mealy, a Tampa, Florida couple who turned a crowd-pleasing recipe into a grocery product and built early traction selling through Publix supermarkets across the state.
The Mealys came in asking for 150,000 dollars for 15 percent of the company. Their distribution numbers caught the sharks' attention, since the dips were already in hundreds of Publix locations. Lori Greiner and Robert Herjavec teamed up to invest, agreeing to put in the 150,000 dollars in exchange for 25 percent. The couple accepted the joint offer.
Back 9 Dips stood out because it was a real, shelf-ready grocery product with proven retail placement rather than a concept. That existing Publix relationship gave the sharks confidence, and the partnership of two investors signaled they saw room to push the brand into many more stores.
Where Back 9 Dips is now
The episode gave the brand a strong lift. Distribution jumped from a few hundred Publix stores to well over a thousand locations across multiple states, the dips reached Costco, and the company signed with a national food distributor. For a time the growth looked fast and promising.
The momentum did not last. In 2014 a USDA recall of thousands of pounds of product, tied to an undeclared anchovy allergen, hit the company hard, and Back 9 Dips went out of business that year. The brand is not operating today, and David and Nique Mealy have since moved on to other careers.
Where to buy Back 9 Dips
Back 9 Dips is no longer sold. The company closed in 2014 after a USDA recall, so you will not find it in grocery stores, on the brand's old website, or through any official source. There is no current product to buy and no replacement line from the original founders. Shoppers looking for a similar item can find comparable refrigerated buffalo chicken dips from other grocery and specialty food brands.
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Frequently asked questions
Where can I buy Back 9 Dips?
Check current price and availability on Amazon. Note that some Shark Tank products are discontinued or sold under a new name. The company's official website is another option.
Did Back 9 Dips get a deal on Shark Tank?
Yes. Back 9 Dips closed a deal for $150,000 in exchange for 25% equity, with Lori Greiner and Robert Herjavec.
Which shark invested in Back 9 Dips?
Lori Greiner and Robert Herjavec invested in Back 9 Dips ($150,000 total as aired).
What season of Shark Tank was Back 9 Dips on?
Back 9 Dips appeared in Season 4, Episode 4, which aired October 5, 2012.
How much was Back 9 Dips asking for on Shark Tank?
The founders asked for $150,000 for 15% of the company, a $1M valuation.
Can you still buy Back 9 Dips?
No. The company went out of business in 2014, so the dips are no longer produced or sold in any store or online.
Why did Back 9 Dips shut down?
A 2014 USDA recall, prompted by an undeclared anchovy allergen in the product, damaged the business, and the company closed that same year.
Who invested in Back 9 Dips on Shark Tank?
Lori Greiner and Robert Herjavec invested together, putting in 150,000 dollars for 25 percent of the company.
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