If you Google “100 calorie ice cream,” Wink frozen desserts will be near the top of the results page. The thing is, Wink isn’t ice cream and they are careful not to use the term when referring to themselves, that’s why they’re called Wink Frozen Desserts. Their 100 calorie ice cream pints are actually frozen pea protein with assorted other gluten and dairy-free ingredients mixed in. Ani Blinova and Gabe Wolff will give the Sharks a taste of their treats in Shark Tank episode 708.
Ice cream is a big problem for folks who are lactose intolerant, but most people who suffer from it can eat frozen yogurt. Celiac disease can also cause problems for ice cream aficionados, as many frozen treats contain gluten. Wolff suffers from both, which is why he started mixing up frozen pea protein a few years ago. Ani, his frozen muse, helped him turn it into a product.
Wink has a following in natural foods circles and people who want a 100 calorie ice cream pint (a pint of Ben and Jerry’s is around 1200 calories). There’s something about polishing off a pint of ice cream without guilt that appeals to people – even if it isn’t real ice cream. While they have a presence in quite a few markets in the northeastern United States, they are likely looking for a Shark to help expand production and market reach.
My take on 100 calorie ice cream
If I can have 100 calorie ice cream, I say bring it on! I love ice cream every now and them and when I have it, I like to binge. I can knock back a pint of Ben and Jerry’s New York Super Fudge Chunk faster than you can say “New York Super Fudge Chunk!” I do just that every couple of months. If it was only 100 calories, I’d do it every night!
Now I never tried Wink, so I can only go on reviews. From what I see online, people like the stuff. Frozen pea protein doesn’t sound appetizing, but I’d be willing to give it a shot.
Will Sharks take a bite out of Wink?
There are three kinds of businesses that appear on Shark Tank: those that get a deal and do a lot of pre-show hype, those that don’t get a deal and do a lot of pre-show hype, and those that don’t get a deal and do no pre-show hype. Wink falls in to the latter category.
From looking at their website and social media, you wouldn’t know they were appearing on Shark Tank. They aren’t going to get a deal because manufactured frozen treats don’t get funded in the Shark Tank. The logistics of transportation and storage isn’t something the Sharks want to get involved with.
That said, Wink should be doing some personal PR. They’ll have 8 million people watching their pitch; they ought to capitalize on the exposure.
