Mensch on a Bench entered the Shark Tank in Season 6 with its Jewish version of Elf on a Shelf. At that time, we spoke to creator Neal Hoffman about his book and doll sets that are designed to get Jewish kids into the spirit of the season.
As his episode re-airs on Shark Tank Week, we caught up with him again to hear about his success during the Hanukkah season and the new products he is launching soon. Here is what he told us about…
Buy a Mensch on a Bench here.
To read all of Heavy’s Shark Tank coverage, click here.
Growth Since the ‘Tank’
(ABC)
Last year we sold almost $1 million dollars in Mensches, which is a 10-time growth from the year before. The feedback from the Jewish community has been incredible and we are looking forward to another great season!
Robert & Lori’s Guidance
I have been really happy working with Robert and Lori. It is a big difference to go from running your own company 100% to bringing on partners, but they are both brilliant and bring such different skills to the table. Lori is the best product person I have ever worked with and she has really pushed me to reach my potential!
The Mensch’s New Look
Yes, we did [change the Mensch’s appearance after Barbara’s advice] and we will debut the new look on our Facebook page in the coming weeks. We think people are going to LOVE it. Barbara, Lori, and Robert were 100% right, we really could make him better.
Retail Locations
We entered the Paper Store this year, which is a great Hanukkah destination. In addition, all the stores from last year re-ordered and were thrilled with Mensch sales. We were the #1 Hanukkah item last year and are so proud!
Buy a Mensch on a Bench here.
New Products, Including a Candy Bar
In the next couple of weeks we are going to launch a Hanukkah lineup. We have three new items and two new licensed products…so we are starting to reach our mission of moving from a product to a brand. For example, Mensch Munch candy bars are coming out this year!