Whatever Happened To Terra-Core After Shark Tank?
Fitness products are a regular sell on "Shark Tank," and the long-running reality series has showcased everything from the Simply Fit Board to Sworkit. In fact, when entrepreneur Greg Nigro entered the tank to pitch his product Terra-Core, his eyes lit up when he heard about what happened with the Simply Fit Board — a piece of plastic that Lori Greiner catapulted to $100 million in sales in one year.
Nigro hoped to find similar success with Terra-Core, a multi-use fitness product that promised "hundreds of exercises in only three square feet," thanks to a dynamic, air-filled surface, handles, and band bridges. Nigro first began a Kickstarter campaign in 2016, raising $95,678. By the time he appeared on a Season 11 episode of "Shark Tank" in 2019, the company had made $2.1 million in sales.
Nigro entered the shark tank seeking $300,000 for 15% equity in Terra-Core. Daymond John, Kevin O'Leary, guest shark Anne Wojcicki, and Lori Greiner all made offers based on the strength of its numbers, as well as the product's corresponding app. Nigro took the QVC queen's offer of $300,000 for 22.5%. Some of the other sharks worried that Terra-Core would be another flash-in-the-pan fitness fad, and recent events suggest that this could be the case.
Terra-Core expanded for a while
Like many a "Shark Tank" pitch before it, Terra-Core benefited from some on-screen publicity. After appearing on the series in late 2019, Terra-Core sold out through the end of April 2020, with the product also featured in Men's Health and The Wall Street Journal. It no doubt helped that Greg Nigro was a reputable fitness expert, with his wellness consulting brand, The Gym Sherpa, having courted such clients as Vin Diesel and Sylvester Stallone.
Terra-Core maintained its staying power through the outset of the pandemic, when at-home fitness equipment sales skyrocketed. In spring 2020, fitness equipment sales reportedly grew by 170%, with indications that the home fitness boom wouldn't significantly slow in the post-lockdown era.
Terra-Core used that momentum to broaden its availability through sites like Amazon and Power Systems Fitness, while also expanding its line of products to include accessories like bands, sliders, and a massager. Its YouTube page filled up with dozens of workouts to follow along with at home, while its social media presence was bolstered by endorsements from famous athletes, with Troy Aiken, Drew Brees, and pro surfer Erin Brooks among its high-profile users. But in the last couple of years, the company's fortunes seemed to take a downturn.
Terra-Core appears to have merged with Power Systems Inc.
The actual status of Terra-Core looks completely murky as of press time. While their website is now down, and their X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram and YouTube pages haven't been updated for nearly two full years, you can still pre-order a Terra-Core on the Power Systems Fitness website for $299.00. Terra-Core is listed as one of the site's manufacturers, which hints at its continued independence as a company, but Power Systems appears to be its only distributor. Power Systems Fitness also now manages the company's Amazon store, where the product goes for $279.99.
What this means for Terra-Core is anyone's guess. There's no announcement of it being acquired on the Power Systems Fitness Blog and no hint that Terra-Core is manufacturing the product at all, but the review listing for Power Systems Fitness doesn't indicate any chicanery. Time will tell if they've been acquired or are simply using Power Systems to sell off their remaining stock. In any event, it might be time to snag one if you've been yearning to try it.