Yelm-based Ice Chips founders Beverly Vines-Haines, Charlotte Clary
Photo credit: Shark Tank on ABC-TV

“In [a November 2012] episode of “Shark Tank”, two grandmothers from Yelm, Washington landed a $250,000 investment from Mark Cuban and Barbara Corcoran for their Ice Chips Candy company.

In exchange for the cash, Beverly Vines-Haines and Charlotte Clary gave up a 40% stake in their company, even though they were only looking to give up a 15% stake.”

“They started off as two grannies in a garage hammering away at the hard candies to break them into smaller pieces.

The Ice Chips are made with Xylitol, a healthy, natural sugar alternative and come in 17 different flavors.”

Now, they’re selling Ice Chips all over the world and are on track to hit $1 million in sales by the end of the year.”
Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.

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UPDATE: October 17, 2013
“Yelm grannies who appeared on TV’s Shark Tank to speak at local biz conference”
“[Beverly Vines-Haines and Charlotte Clary] will deliver the keynote address at an upcoming business conference.

The event is the South Sound Success Small Business Conference [co-organized by the Thurston County Economic Development Council], which is set for 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 5 at the SPSCC Hawks Prairie Campus Annex, 1401 Marvin Road N.E., Lacey.

The conference is open to new and existing business owners,” quoting Rolf Boone in The Olympian.
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