Jenn came on Shark Tank with a solution to a problem people are facing. She highlighted that she wanted to change the perspective about MSG. Because she noticed the double standard about MSG in Western food snacks. People consuming food with MSG still mentioned that they are sensitive to it. She also wanted to know her culture through this brand. It’s like a baby for her, which helped her to know her roots and culture for good. That’s why she created a food seasoning brand named DIME.
In 2020, the situation with anti-Asian sentiment gave her more courage to make this brand known worldwide. She wanted to give MSG a modern identity. She mentioned that DIME adds flavor to your food, snacks, and even your cocktails without adding calories.
Her only motive was to make this brand big and erase the anti-Asian concept forever; that’s why she came on Shark Tank seeking $100k for 10% equity. Even though the Sharks liked the product, concept, and idea of adding flavor without calories. But still, did she secure the deal or not? Let’s know more about it in the rest of the article.
DIME Net Worth
Jenn Ko came on Shark Tank asking for $100,000 for 10% of DIME. That meant she valued her company at $1 million. But Kevin O’Leary wanted more equity for that money. He offered $100,000 for 17%, along with a royalty on every package sold. Jenn accepted the deal after Kevin reduced the royalty to 30 cents per package until he got his $100,000 back. So, the deal valued DIME at about $588,235. DIME was still a pretty new company when Jenn appeared on Shark Tank. She had started selling in July 2025 and made $55,000 that year. In 2026, she had made another $30,000 by the time she came into the Tank. That was not a huge amount of money, but Jenn was doing the business herself. DIME is still selling its seasonings in 2026. Customers can buy The OG, Korean Chili, and Scallion Ranch for $9.99 each, and the company also sells variety packs. One business estimate puts DIME's annual revenue at around $85,000 and its value at approximately $300,000. But that is only an estimate, and DIME has not announced an official valuation. So, its estimated net worth is around $300,000 in 2026, while the on-screen deal with Kevin valued it at about $588,235.
Did DIME Get a Deal on Shark Tank?
Yes, DIME successfully secured the deal with Kevin O’Leary. She sought $100k for 10% equity at the beginning, but the dynamics changed as she explained more about her product. Her only goal was to make the word MSG normal; she mentioned that other brands hide the word “MSG” from their packaging. We put the word MSG on the front of our packaging. Because people consume snacks having MSG in them but still behave like we are so sensitive to it. She just wanted to change the negative image of MSG.
DIME uses a street-style taste so they can attract the younger audience. She mentioned that they made $55,000 in sales in 2025 and $30,000 in 2026 by highlighting the fact that it’s a self-based brand, so we generated a minimum order quantity.
Despite that, Kevin was still interested in the company and gave her an offer of $100k for 17% equity + 50 cents per unit until he got $100k back. She received only one deal; that’s why she did not have another option. So she was negotiating with Kevin. She’s okay with the equity but not with the 50 cents per unit. Kevin dropped the cents from 50 to 30 without changing the equity. She had no choice, so she accepted Kevin’s offer.
DIME Shark Tank Deal Table
| Shark(s) Name | Offer & Demand | Accepted? |
|---|---|---|
| Kevin O’Leary | $100,000 for 17% equity + $0.30 royalty per unit until $100,000 is repaid | Yes |
| Daniel Lubetzky | Out | No |
| Kendra Scott | Out | No |
| Lori Greiner | Out | No |
| William | Out | No |
Founder’s Backstory
Jenn Ko was the Asian American kid in her school. She mentioned that for her, MSG was a normal food enhancer, but at school, because of her identity and culture, she faced racism. She noticed that even though people consume brands that contain MSG, she explained that they are still sensitive to it.
She just wanted to change the old-fashioned MSG image into a modern, bold streetwear style. Her motive was to normalize the ingredient that was misunderstood for decades.
Because of Jenn’s professional experience in advertising and media buying, it helped her to understand the impact of branding. She chose the name DIME by taking a reference to portable “dime bag” pouches. This product was designed for customers who wanted flavor without adding calories.
Jenn mentioned that the seasoning was the starting point of their business just to enter the market. She launched her company and built amazing sales through wholesale, direct-to-customer, and Amazon. With her product DIME, she combined food, branding, and culture with modern trends.
DIME Shark Tank Pitch
Jenn entered Shark Tank seeking $100k for 10% equity in her food seasoning brand, DIME. She highlighted the seasoning, which adds flavor without adding calories. She mentioned her personal experience with MSG, which adds an emotional connection. Since childhood, she grew up using MSG as a normal enhancer in their food. She wanted to change the perspective of MSG from an old-fashioned food enhancer to a modern one.
She launched her company in 2025 and generated $55,000 and $30,000 in sales in 2026 at the time of the pitch. This statement from Jenn made the Sharks concerned about the offer. Even though no one offered a deal, Kevin was interested because she mentioned that it’s a self-based company, and despite that, she generated that much in sales. They generated 40% of sales from wholesale, and they were also on Amazon.
Shark Questions, Negotiations, Discussion & Reactions
The Sharks were curious about the product and wanted to clarify the following aspects by asking several questions:
Kevin O’Leary was the one who was always curious about numbers; that’s why he asked about their sales. Jenn replied that they launched their company in July 2025 and generated $55,000 in sales. While their sales this year were $30,000. This was not impressive until she mentioned that this is a self-based company and they only receive minimum order quantities.
Kevin O’Leary asked again about manufacturing and selling price. Jenn replied that they made it for $2.20 and sold it for $9.99. They also have a variety pack, which contains 3 packs for $24.99. They gained 40% of sales from wholesale and also through Amazon.
No one asked any other questions; Kevin saw the potential in the company and gave her an offer of $100,000 for 17% equity with a $0.50 royalty per unit until he got his $100,000 back.
After negotiating, Jenn convinced him to drop his royalty and locked the deal for $100,000 for 17% equity + $0.30 per unit until the $100,000 was paid back.
Why Some Sharks Said No
The Sharks said no to the deal for the following reasons. William said that I am not the kind of person who is interested in seasoning, even though Jenn mentioned that this is just the beginning; in the future, we will expand our product and launch new items. But this statement did not convince him.
Lori said no to the deal because she believed that Jenn was introducing a new category, which has both good and bad news. Because it comes with significant risk.
Kendra said no because she was impressed by Kevin’s deal and did not think she could offer that much; that’s why she said no to the deal.
Daniel Lubetzky was also not interested in the seasoning business, just like William; that’s why he said no. But Kevin saw the potential and gave her the offer; after negotiation, Jenn locked the deal with Kevin.
Where To Buy DIME and Product Features
Customers can buy the product from their official website for under $9.99 for a single pack and for a variety pack that contains 3 packs for under $24.99.
This product was designed to enhance the flavor of food, snacks, and even cocktails. It’s an MSG-based product with zero calories; that’s why it’s different from traditional seasoning businesses.
In their product, she combined food with her culture, modern design, and branding. It’s available on Amazon. Direct-to-customers and wholesale, which increased their sales.
What Happened To DIME After Shark Tank?
DIME came on Shark Tank to advertise her company on an international level. She was an Asian American citizen, which caused her to face racism. But when she explored different countries, it also helped her to know more about her culture and helped her to create DIME. At the time of the pitch, she only had $30,000 in sales because it was a self-based company and the production cost was low. But when she entered the Tank and mentioned the features of her product, like zero calories with flavor.
Her appearance on Shark Tank increased their sales and also secured the partnership with Kevin, who is known as Mr. Wonderful. With the money from the deal, they increased their production rate to handle the maximum order quantity, which increased their sales and helped them reach a larger market.
Conclusion
Jenn entered Shark Tank seeking $100k for 10% equity in her MSG-based seasoning company, DIME. She highlighted the fact that even though people consume it, she mentioned that they were sensitive to MSG, which shows the double standard and negative impression about this ingredient for decades.
Because since childhood, she grew up eating food made with MSG, which feels personal to her. That’s why she wanted to change the perspective about MSG-based seasoning.
Even though the Sharks were not impressed with her sales and thought that it’s not the right niche for them to invest in. But Kevin saw the potential in her company and made an offer after negotiation of $100k for 17% + 30 cents per unit until he got back his $100k. Jenn accepted the offer because she did not have other offers.
But she was planning to launch new items in the future with the help of Kevin. So stay tuned to witness their success together.
