Whatever Happened To PittMoss After Shark Tank?
From Eco Flower to Cabinet Health, "Shark Tank" has historically played host to many businesses centered around sustainability and eco-friendly practices. However, viewers may recall one particular company from an early point in the show's run that had the potential to completely revolutionize a major section of the gardening industry: PittMoss. Featured in Season 6, Episode 25, this green-minded business from the mind of entrepreneur Mont Handley was focused on developing a non-peat-based potting soil alternative via recycled materials like paper and cardboard.
PittMoss attracted a fair bit of attention and curiosity from the Sharks during its original "Shark Tank" appearance; some Sharks found it intriguing, while others were turned off by its unspectacular early sales numbers. However, a good number of years have passed since 2015. "Shark Tank" fans who found PittMoss interesting may want a refresher on how the business ultimately fared and whether it's still around. With that in mind, here's an overview of PittMoss' legacy on and after "Shark Tank."
What happened to PittMoss on Shark Tank?
When Mont Handley and PittMoss showed up on "Shark Tank" in 2015, the business was roughly 20 years in the making. As Handley explained, he had been working on PittMoss since the mid-1990s and had made considerable strides in the decades since. According to Handley, the peat moss substitute had already been successful in its industry, proving superior to its natural counterpart in various respects such as water consumption and cost of production. PittMoss began vending to commercial growers in the U.S., but Handley was looking to take the next step in growing the business.
With this context laid out, Handley offered a deal of $600,000 for 25% ownership of PittMoss to the Sharks — and it wasn't long before he had a few on the line. Mark Cuban demonstrated particular interest in PittMoss, though his willingness to move forward necessitated a few caveats, such as Handley abandoning PittMoss' other angel investors and other Sharks going in with him on the deal. In the end, Cuban, Robert Herjavec, and Kevin O'Leary formed an alliance, negotiating an offer between all three of them for $600,000 in exchange for a 35% stake in the company, which Handley accepted.
PittMoss after Shark Tank
There's no denying PittMoss saw some major success on "Shark Tank." Not only did Handley's business have the rare distinction of securing a solid deal on with three investors, but it also was treated to the "Shark Tank" effect – meaning, PittMoss got tons of recognition and attention from the show's viewers. However, none of this means that it was completely smooth sailing for the business after "Shark Tank."
Roughly one year after PittMoss appeared on "Shark Tank," series fans got a chance to catch up with the business in the companion series "Beyond the Tank" Season 2, Episode 11. There, Handley revealed that PittMoss was having trouble keeping up its rate of production to meet the overwhelming demand from its ever-growing customer base, which complicated its plans to incorporate a retail presence. Thankfully, some intervention, advice, and additional funding from Mark Cuban helped Handley chart a clear path forward, allowing him to secure a manufacturer to increase production and successfully negotiate with a distributor company to assist with packing PittMoss for retail distribution.
The ensuing years saw PittMoss balloon in size and popularity, with the official launch of its retail product line hitting the scene in 2017. The company even managed to take its operations international in 2021 by drafting out plans for a factory in Lebanon.
Is PittMoss still in business?
As of the time of this article's publishing, business is still booming for PittMoss. In fact, the "Shark Tank" product is arguably more successful than ever before. Not only has PittMoss expanded its operations to a global scale, but its scope and line of products have similarly developed. The business currently vends a variety of products, including its original organic potting mix, a specialized organic soil conditioner, and even organic bedding for horses, poultry, and small pets.
In addition, PittMoss routinely publishes research papers and findings from scientific studies of its products, with the majority focused on sustainability in agriculture. In 2021, PittMoss surpassed a revenue of $1 million in sales. What's more, the business has opened itself up to crowdfunding opportunities from smaller investors, providing yet another source of funding for its endeavors.
Mont Handley is still technically a part of PittMoss, serving as a member of its board of directors. However, the founder has also moved on to other entrepreneurial opportunities. He founded a new sustainability-focused endeavor in 2022 called Plantennas. The business' core product is the Plantenna, a biodegradable fiber pot with embedded sensor technology.
What's next for PittMoss?
While PittMoss has come quite a long way from its appearance on "Shark Tank," the company is still growing. According to the business' official crowdfunding campaign, PittMoss intends to open as many as seven more production facilities across the United States to match demand for its products in the future. By scaling up production of PittMoss even further, the company intends to strengthen its positive environmental impact through water savings, greenhouse gas reduction, runoff reduction, and use of recycled materials.
The business' ultimate goal is completely supplanting peat in the potting soil industry. While many may consider such a milestone to be quite the lofty ambition, PittMoss has already demonstrated an exponential level of growth in terms of its presence in the commercial space. Judging from the current state of the company, it seems that PittMoss has a bright future ahead.