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When mother and son duo Maria Shriver — yes, the NBC News anchor and award-winning journalist — and Patrick Schwarzenegger — yes, “White Lotus” Season Three star and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s son — appeared on Episode 22 of ABC’s 15th season of “Shark Tank” in 2024, the response from the public was mixed. What was a well-off celebrity family doing pitching their business on television? The reason was a lot more mushy — or moshy — than you might expect.
After introducing Mosh protein bars and the long list of brain-boosting ingredients in them (including the next big thing, ashwagandha), Shriver shared the inspiration behind their mission-driven brand: her late father and Patrick’s grandfather, Sargent Shriver — yes, President John F. Kennedy’s brother-in-law and creator of the Peace Corps — who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2003. After seeing their loved one’s battle with Alzheimer’s, Shriver dedicated her life to finding a cure, founding the charitable non-profit, The Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement, in 2010.
But her work came to a halt in 2020 with the COVID-19 Pandemic, the same time that Patrick moved home with her. After six years of investing in successful food brands of the likes of Blaze Pizza, Olipop, Liquid IV, and the low-carb keto and vegan-friendly brand Better Bagel, Patrick had the idea to use the opportunity to build something meaningful. Mosh, The Brain Brand, is exactly that — a mission-driven company that, to this day, has raised more than $250,000 for Alzheimer’s research and education. That’s what led them to “Shark Tank,” in hopes of securing a $500k investment for a 2% stake in the company.
What happened to Mosh on Shark Tank?
After presenting their pitch, Shriver and Patrick had the Sharks try a few of the Mosh protein bars. The Sharks were given three different Mosh bar flavors: Lemon White Chocolate Crunch, Cookie Dough Crunch, and plant-based Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip. Immediately upon biting into the Lemon White Chocolate Crunch, which Patrick was sure to note was their best-seller, Candace Nelson proclaimed (via Everything Intellectual Property on YouTube), “The lemon tastes really fresh! And I love that you didn’t forget the texture. I’m a big fan of texture and crunch in foods.”
The conversation then went back to Alzheimer’s research, with Shriver specifically pointing out gaps in studies on Alzheimer’s among women and the impact lifestyle choices can make — a point that raised the ears of Lori Greiner in particular. But, as usual, it was Kevin O’Leary who turned the conversation to the numbers — which were perplexing. With the amazing mission behind the company, what really ended up being the kicker was the fact that they chose to do protein bars and not something less competitive. After all, there is already a wealth of protein bar brands available.
In the end, every Shark reluctantly passed on Mosh for that reason — that is, until it came down to Greiner. It took a bit of negotiating, but, ultimately, Greiner made them an offer they simply couldn’t refuse: a $500k investment for a 6% stake, which Patrick eventually negotiated down to a 3.5% stake with an additional 1.5% of advisory shares. While there was some hesitation, Patrick, Shriver, and Greiner all left with a deal.
Mosh after Shark Tank
As mentioned previously, Mosh’s appearance on “Shark Tank” — or, more specifically, Shriver and Patrick’s appearance — received a mix of reviews. While the majority of fans were swooned by the co-founders’ mission-driven concept, others had their own opinions — mostly revolving around the fact that, being as politically and financially connected as they are, their spot could’ve been given to founders who actually needed it, like the Reamer family who started Jackson’s Honest.
A YouTube video posted by Atrioc titled “Rich People Are Ruining Shark Tank” dives into this topic further, bringing attention to the issue of already affluent and well-connected business founders making “Shark Tank” appearances. “Shark Tank” subreddits also provide some context into the matter, with Redditors arguing both sides. In a Mosh product discussion subreddit on the “Shark Tank” Reddit, you’ll find people sticking up for the family, citing Arnold Schwarzenegger’s success as a businessman prior to ever becoming an actor.
On the other hand, there are other less polite takes, specifically those that label his son as a “nepo baby” and accuse Shriver of paying for a slot on the show. Of course, all of these arguments leave out Patrick’s personal success as an investor prior to starting Mosh and Shriver’s own experience building her media company, Shriver Media, along with founding a non-profit — the very one that inspired Mosh in the first place. Obviously, everyone is entitled to their opinion. But, at the end of the day, Mosh is for a good cause — and, to this day, it continues to support Alzheimer’s research.
Is Mosh still in business?
Knowing Shriver and Patrick successfully walked off “Shark Tank” with a deal from Greiner — even despite some of the other Sharks’ reservations — it’s likely no surprise that Mosh, The Brain Brand, is still out there educating people about their brain health and raising funds for Alzheimer’s. Given the boom in brand exposure, website traffic, sales, and social media attention that followed its appearance on the show, they’re undoubtedly raising even more money and educating more people than they did before.
With Greiner’s backing, Mosh has successfully achieved its goal of breaking into more retail locations, keeping stores such as Ralph’s, Sprouts Farmers Market, King Scoopers, and Fred Meyer stocked with its most popular flavors and making it even easier for people to feed their brains. You can also order from Mosh’s full selection of protein bar flavors — including options such as Blueberry Almond Crunch, Chocolate Brownie Crunch, and an impressive 15-count variety pack — via the Mosh website. A 6-count variety pack is also available on Amazon.
First time customers receive a 20% discount if they shop directly from the site, and if you do try one or more of the Mosh bar flavors and love it, you can build your own bundle the next time. There’s also the option of saving 20% on your order by signing up for a subscription service. That way, your body never goes short on the seven brain nutrients and 13 grams of protein each bar provides — and the brand ensures continued business.
What’s next for Mosh?
Given that Shriver and Patrick pitched Mosh as a mission-driven company, it’s comforting to know that, even despite all of the attention and success they’ve received since appearing on “Shark Tank,” that hasn’t changed. Business still appears to be running as usual at Mosh, and even if it has yet to branch out into the supplement and protein powder sector as mentioned in the pitch, everything else seems to be going as planned. The brand has expanded to more retail stores, released even more flavors, and, most importantly, continues to use the company’s platform to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s.
While the money raised via Mosh goes directly to Shriver’s charitable non-profit, The Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement — and you can visit its website and Instagram page to find out about the specific Alzheimer’s research it’s funding — a lot of the educational work is also happening directly through Mosh’s social media accounts. The brand’s Instagram and TikTok pages are full of videos about brain health with an emphasis on lifestyle.
Mosh regularly posts videos featuring experts on the subject, as well as delicious Mosh bar recipes, events, and teasers of upcoming flavors. As for Mosh’s founders, things also seem to be going as usual — but, like the business, they’re going at an exponentially faster rate. Shriver recently published another book titled “I Am Maria,” and, after the airing of the “White Lotus” Season Three finale, Patrick is already the topic of Emmy Award rumors.
