The Sharks didn’t quite know what to expect when Chef James Barry walked into Shark Tank Season 17, Episode 3, which aired on October 8, 2025. What he brought to the table caught them off guard. It was a line of seasonings made from organ meats.
His brand, Pluck Seasonings, turns these nutrient-dense meats into everyday seasonings. The goal is to make healthy eating effortless, because let’s be real, no one wants to eat a liver or a heart of an animal on the regular.
The concept wasn’t born out of a marketing plan (for a change). Rather, it was a family health scare that pushed Barry to rethink food and wellness.
From Simple Meals to Pluck Seasonings
When Barry’s daughter became critically ill from a rare Shiga toxin infection (a rare bacterial infection affecting the gut), it shook his family to the core. The helplessness faced in this experience was a major turning point for Barry.
The whole ordeal made them realize how difficult it is to get proper nutrition during recovery. It was a life-changing experience for Barry and his family, to say the least.
After his daughter regained her health, Barry made it his mission to find an easier way for families to get the nutrients they need without changing their entire diet. The experience pushed him to develop a functional food that could fit effortlessly into everyday meals while supporting better nutrition.
Shark Tank was not Barry’s first rodeo with on-screen stars. He has previously worked for twenty years with some big celebrity names like Tom Cruise and George Clooney. Throughout his career, he has focused on reimagining comfort food with a healthier approach.
Barry wasn’t always into organ meats the way he is today. His diet was simple and repetitive growing up, far from the raucous meats we see him around in the episode.
It wasn’t until later in life, as a parent and someone passionate about nutrition, that he discovered their impressive nutrient profile and began viewing them as one of nature’s most complete foods.
Transforming Organ Meats Into Everyday Seasoning
Pluck officially began in 2021, intending to make nutrient-rich foods easy to incorporate into daily meals. Organ meats are loaded with vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, but their unusual texture often puts people off.
Barry’s goal was to make them both tasty and approachable, turning them into a seasoning anyone could enjoy regularly.
Pluck uses organ meats from grass-fed, grass-finished New Zealand cattle. These are blended with herbs and spices to create a savory seasoning. It delivers essential nutrients without any strong or unpleasant flavors.
Barry himself describes it as “the perfect gateway to organ meats because it doesn’t taste like organ meat. What you taste is the savory deliciousness of umami.”
Pluck comes in flavors such as Zesty Garlic, Mild Spicy, and Pluck Pure. The seasonings can be used daily on foods like eggs, soups, and smoothies. They are keto, paleo, low-carb, dairy-free, and gluten-free, made from humanely raised, antibiotic-free cattle.
Pluck’s Approach to Promoting Sustainable and Nutrient-Rich Eating
Barry sees Pluck as more than a seasoning brand. He views it as part of a movement that embraces using the whole animal and supporting regenerative agriculture. This approach focuses on restoring soil health and promoting sustainability, according to the company.
Most diets rely only on muscle meat, missing out on the nutrients found in other parts of the animal. Organ meats are rich in vitamins and minerals and are among the most natural, nutrient-dense foods. Barry’s goal is to make these benefits easy to include in everyday meals.
Barry describes Pluck as “nutrition in a pinch. You don’t have to give up your favorite meals. Just sprinkle on Pluck, and you’ve instantly made your food more nutrient-dense.”
Pluck’s Online and Retail Availability
Pluck’s products can be purchased directly from their website. They are also available on Amazon, in select specialty stores, and at some health clinics. Customers can choose from shakers, bags, or travel packs based on their needs.
As of 2025, individual shakers are $35 each, with a bundle of all four flavors priced at $112. Superfood seasoning bags cost $67.20 each, or $268.80 for all four. Travel packs are $18 apiece, and sample packs with eight servings sell for $14.
Social Media Presence
Pluck Seasonings has built a strong presence on social media, sharing posts that reveal lesser-known facts about modern diets.
They provide educational content on nutrition and potential toxins, along with how-to videos and customer testimonials. These efforts have helped create a dedicated community focused on healthy eating.
Making Organ Meats Friendly and Fun
James Barry’s journey with Pluck shows how a personal challenge can spark a big idea. A family health scare turned into a mission to make nutrient-rich foods accessible and enjoyable for everyone. Thanks to flavorful seasonings, organ meats don’t have to give one the heebie-jeebies anymore.
Pluck also reflects a commitment to sustainability and whole-animal eating, showing that better food can benefit both people and the planet. James Barry is essentially making nutritious eating simple, approachable, and a part of daily life.
