Wild Squirrel Nut Butter

Wild Squirrel Nut Butter was a line of all-natural nut butters in inventive flavors, made without the additives common in mass-market jars. It started as a college project between best friends Erika Welsh and Keeley Tillotson in Oregon, who first whipped up their own peanut butter on a cold winter night using a bag of peanuts and a food processor when they ran out of the store-bought kind.

The pair came to the Tank seeking 50,000 dollars for 10 percent, presenting as young, scrappy founders with a genuinely tasty product. Barbara Corcoran connected with their story and energy and made an offer that took a 40 percent stake for the 50,000 dollars. The founders accepted on air, drawn to Barbara's mentorship and marketing reach.

Their youth and friendship made the pitch endearing, and the flavors gave the brand a clear point of difference in a crowded aisle. Even though the handshake deal with Barbara was not ultimately completed off camera, the exposure validated that two students could build a real food company, and the founders later said they were not actually ready for the money at that point.

After the show the founders kept growing the company, rebranding to Wild Friends following a trademark dispute over the original name. The new brand expanded into hundreds of stores and onto shelves at major chains including Whole Foods, Costco, and Kroger, building real distribution and, by early 2023, reportedly more than 14 million dollars in annual revenue.

Despite that growth, the founders made the decision to wind the business down, and Wild Friends Foods shut down in April 2024 after roughly 13 years. The closure was made together with the company's largest shareholder, and the founders have since moved on to other work. The brand's nut butters are no longer being produced or sold.