Cousins from Kingston hope that pickle-flavored beer becomes shark bait. An idea that was born four years ago has evolved into a dill-flavored craze that made its way into Trader Joe's, Disneyland and now "Shark Tank."
Joshua Jancewicz and Holly Danko stepped onto the set of the long-running show to pitch their company, Donna’s Pickle Beer, on the upcoming episode of "Shark Tank." It airs Wednesday, Oct. 28 at 10 p.m. on ABC.
Pairing pickles and beer
Pickles and alcohol have existed for hundreds of years but Jancewicz put them together, creating a beer he hopes will reach international status one day.
“To be the first person to really put them together, it's really going to prove to people that it’s a worldwide brand and we’re going to get the attention from worldwide people down the road when they get to know that we even exist,” Jancewicz said.
Described as a light-bodied golden lager mixed with all natural dill pickle brine, the name was the easiest part. Donna’s Pickle Beer is named after Jancewicz’s mom, Donna.
“This isn’t just a beer company that was created to make a bunch of money. Josh made this after his mom, he named it after her. Her legacy can live on forever,” Danko said.
The launch party coincided with Donna’s birthday in April 2023. They made 400 cases and sold out in two days. Today, they produce 5,000 cases a month.
“I just knew that if we got this going, and we got it the right way, the way it's supposed to be, this brand will have unstoppable legs. We’re not there yet to this day, but one day we will be,” Jancewicz said.
Journey to the Tank
"Shark Tank" asked the company to appear on their show. Jancewicz didn’t think the email was real. After Danko confirmed the email was legitimate, he was still reluctant to go.
He didn’t think at the time that the opportunity aligned with their brand, but the more he thought about it, he realized they had to jump for this chance.
The cousins, who live in California, immediately got to work. From notecards and roleplaying to building a set and creating pitch videos, the cousins prepared in every way they could.
“We just needed to get there and get on set and start doing our thing. All we wanted to do was have fun and show people a good time and that’s what the brand’s all about,” Jancewicz said.
On "Shark Tank," "sharks," who are described by the show as "tough, self-made, multimillionaire and billionaire tycoons" — search for the best businesses and products that America has to offer. Those businesses seek investment and advice from the "sharks."
The cousins could not speak about the results prior to the airing of the show, but said they’re excited to show their company’s originality to the world.
Stepping into the Tank
Jancewicz says in the way their brand is unexpected, viewers will see an unexpected pitch that had everyone, including the sharks, laughing.
They took the opportunity to highlight the things that differentiate them from the competition: their authenticity and the family ties. They’ve never spent money on marketing. The growth was “completely organic,” according to Danko.
“Imagine if we did have money. How big we could make this and what we could do with this. We did this all through sweat, blood and tears over the past few years,” she said.
Jancewicz said that no matter how the show is edited, it will be fun for the viewers.
“How Donna’s is an unexpected brand, we have an unexpected pitch,” he said.
Family ties
Jancewicz spends a lot of time thinking about the concept of legacy — his mother’s included.
“I feel like the luckiest mother on the planet. I feel loved. I feel flattered. It feels like the start to a new life,” Donna said.
The mother emphasized that she just wants her son and niece to be happy, no matter what that looks like.
The cousins grew up in Kingston, down the street from one another. They graduated from Wyoming Valley West. While they took different life paths, those differences made the company what it is today.
Danko calls herself the numbers person and Jancewicz the creative person. She said she’s incredibly impressed by Jancewicz and has learned a lot from him.
To Jancewicz, the biggest milestone isn’t "Shark Tank" or Disneyland — it’s being able to include his family in the company.
After the Tank
Jancewicz always felt like his life path had been set for him. He gets these gut feelings about things and acts on them.
“The next step was 'Shark Tank' and that will lead me to the next step until there aren’t any more steps to take,” he said.
He envisions the company in five years being in every state, not just the 19 they’re in currently.
While Donna’s isn’t on the shelves in Pennsylvania just yet, the cousins are working eagerly and diligently to be able to sell to their home state. They are currently in the process of acquiring their direct consumer license so they can sell to 45 states, not just 19.
He also wants to explore making non-alcoholic beverages and pickle vodka.
Danko said the beer isn’t a “one-use thing,” and she hopes people realize that after the episode. She mentions that their beer can be made into micheladas — a Mexican beer cocktail, margaritas, shandys and can even to cook hotdogs in it.
The cousins say they couldn’t have done better and they are proud of what they accomplished together as a family.
“Everything is just a problem. All we’re doing is problem solving all day,” Jancewicz said. “We just need to figure out how to get the answer that we’re looking for. There’s always a way to do it. How creative are you?”
How to watch
The episode of "Shark Tank" featuring Donna's Pickle Beer will air Wednesday, Oct. 28 at 10 p.m. on ABC.