Tia Lupita
DealMexican-inspired health food brand
Tia Lupita, the mexican-inspired health food brand, landed on the national radar after pitching the sharks in Season 14, and convinced Kevin O'Leary to invest.
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From the show
The Shark Tank pitch
- $500K
- Asked for
- 5%
- Offered equity
- $10M
- Sought valuation
- $500K
- Deal amount
- 5%
- Deal equity
- $10M
- Deal valuation
Hector Saldivar faced the sharks in Season 14, Episode 20 in the episode that aired April 14, 2023, bringing their San Francisco, CA business with them. Tia Lupita, the mexican-inspired health food brand, pitched in the Food & Drink category, one of 318 food & drink businesses to brave the Tank across all 17 seasons.
They came in asking $500,000 in exchange for 5% equity, putting a $10M valuation on the business.
Kevin O'Leary made the deal at $500,000 for 5% equity. The deal valued the company at $10M.
Across Season 14, 62 of 87 pitches ended in a handshake. 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 Tia Lupita
Tia Lupita is a Mexican-inspired food brand that began with hot sauce made from founder Hector Saldivar's mother's recipes and later grew into better-for-you grocery staples. The flagship sauces use simple ingredients, and the line expanded into cactus tortillas and chips made by blending nopal cactus into the masa. Saldivar, who is from Mexico and built the company out of San Francisco, framed the brand around authentic family flavor and reducing food waste through upcycled ingredients.
On Season 14 Saldivar asked for 500,000 dollars for just 5 percent, a confident number that signaled real traction in retail. Kevin O'Leary engaged on the grocery economics and the brand's shelf presence, and the two reached a deal at those headline terms. The pitch leaned on Tia Lupita's existing placement in natural grocery chains and the founder's personal story, which helped justify the high valuation he was defending.
Tia Lupita stood out because it was not just another hot sauce. The cactus-based tortillas and chips gave it a distinct health hook in a crowded Mexican-food aisle, and the upcycling angle, using ingredients like okara flour and nopal, fit growing shopper interest in sustainability. The combination of a high-margin sauce line and a differentiated tortilla product gave the brand more than one way to win on the shelf.
Where Tia Lupita is now
After the episode aired, Tia Lupita kept expanding its retail footprint well beyond its early natural-grocery roots. Coverage from 2023 notes a multi-million-dollar seed round backed by Mexican investment firms, capital aimed at scaling production and pushing into more mainstream chains. The hot sauce stayed a strong repeat-purchase driver while the cactus tortillas and chips opened doors in the larger center-of-store grocery sections.
As of 2026 Tia Lupita is still operating and widely distributed. Reporting indicates its products reached thousands of stores including major national grocers, alongside its own direct-to-consumer site. The brand has continued adding flavors and SKUs, holding to its founding mission of authentic Mexican taste with an emphasis on cleaner ingredients and minimizing waste through nopal and other upcycled inputs.
Where to buy Tia Lupita
You can buy Tia Lupita directly at tialupitafoods.com, where the hot sauces, cactus tortillas, and chips are sold individually and in bundles. Reporting also places the products in major grocery chains nationwide, so many shoppers can find them in-store. If you want a clean-ingredient hot sauce with a genuine family backstory, or a tortilla with a cactus-based twist, the line is an easy try. The sauces in particular tend to earn repeat buyers.
Is Tia Lupita still in business?
Read our 2026 update on where the company is now.
Sold on Tia Lupita?
Check today's price and availability before it swims away.
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Frequently asked questions
Where can I buy Tia Lupita?
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 Tia Lupita get a deal on Shark Tank?
Yes. Tia Lupita closed a deal for $500,000 in exchange for 5% equity, with Kevin O'Leary.
Which shark invested in Tia Lupita?
Kevin O'Leary invested in Tia Lupita ($500,000 total as aired).
What season of Shark Tank was Tia Lupita on?
Tia Lupita appeared in Season 14, Episode 20, which aired April 14, 2023.
How much was Tia Lupita asking for on Shark Tank?
The founders asked for $500,000 for 5% of the company, a $10M valuation.
What is Tia Lupita known for?
It started as a hot sauce brand built on founder Hector Saldivar's mother's recipes, then expanded into cactus tortillas and chips made with nopal cactus blended into the masa. The brand emphasizes clean ingredients and reducing food waste.
Did Tia Lupita get a deal on Shark Tank?
Yes. Hector Saldivar made a deal with Kevin O'Leary on Season 14. After the show, the company raised additional seed funding and expanded into more retail chains.
Where can I buy Tia Lupita products?
They are available on the official site, tialupitafoods.com, and in many grocery stores nationwide. The lineup includes hot sauces, cactus tortillas, and tortilla chips.
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