The pitch
What walked into the Den
Michael Gerbert carried Twisted Mister’s Soft Bretzels from Nanaimo onto the season 7 stage, episode 9, selling the Dragons on hand-twisted Bavarian-style pretzels.
Sought $125,000 for 38.75 percent, a valuation of about $322,581.
After the show
What happened next
A Nanaimo News Bulletin headline states the local entrepreneur landed a deal in the Den.
Our read
The Hub verdict
The eye-catcher is the equity. Handing over 38.75 percent for a low six-figure cheque implies a valuation only a shade above three hundred thousand, and giving up better than a third of a business usually signals a founder chasing a partner more than protecting ownership. That is the profile of an early, capital-hungry company.
Michael Gerbert left the Den with a deal. Hand-twisted soft pretzels are a production business before they are a brand: every unit is shaped by hand, which caps output and makes the case for an investor who can fund equipment rather than marketing. Trading a third of the company for that is a rational swap at this size.
A steep equity offer on a hand-made product, and a deal
