Joseph and Maranda Dowell received a $150,000 investment from Daymond John in exchange for 25 percent of their company.

PHOTO COURTESY OF YOUTUBE.COM

Blacknews.com

Atlanta, GA — Husband and wife team Joseph “Joe” and Maranda Dowell, founders of Joe’s Gourmet Fish Fry based in Atlanta, recently landed a deal with Daymond John for $150,000 in exchange for 25 percent of their company on ABC’s ‘Shark Tank’ on Jan. 14. The duo presented their delicious seafood breading product to John, Mark Cuban, Lori Greiner, Robert Herjavec and Kevin O’Leary.

Joe’s Gourmet Fish Fry is seafood breading mix that offers a lighter way to fry seafood, vegetables and poultry. The Dowells say their mix doesn’t absorb as much oil, and brings a light, delicious crunch that brings out the best in food without overpowering it with salt.

“The Shark Tank experience was amazing. We are so happy to share our story on such a large, global stage,” Maranda said. “It’s truly a blessing that Daymond saw the vision too, and we reached a deal.”

Joe’s Gourmet Fish Fry is a movement that started from a 10×10 tent, a father and son and a dream. Joseph Dowell Jr. and his son Joseph “Joe” Dowell III started the business as food vendors traveling along the eastern seaboard. In the last 20 years, the father and son duo traveled across the country from Chicago to Miami, feeding more than 700,000 hungry festival and concert goers.

“We started out just to make a living, but when the lines wrapped around the block, we knew we could turn it into a $10 million business,” said Joe.

From their extensive travels, they determined that there was a high customer demand to make their delicious seafood platters at home.

The product can be found in select locations of Walmart, Publix, Kroger, HEB, Lund’s, Festival Food, Rouse’s, Nam Dae Mun, Northgate Trading and Wayfield Foods. It can also be purchased online at www.joesgourmet.com “We went from seven local stores to 1,200 nationwide in less than three years. It was pure persistence. We believe in our product. It has a light tasty crunch that’s so addictive,” said Maranda.

“Being from New Orleans, Shark Tank and a partnership with Daymond John is our opportunity to become one of the go-to brands in seafood breading,” said Joe. “We were so excited to share our story with America, but also get feedback from some of the best business minds in the world. It was exhilarating to actually be on the set of the show we used to watch every weekend. We feel so blessed and inspired!”