Vegan Fried Chicken Startup Atlas Monroe to Appear on Shark Tank

California-based vegan food production company Atlas Monroe will appear on ABC’s investment reality show Shark Tank on Sunday, October 6. During the episode, Atlas Monroe founders Deborah and Jonathan Torres will pitch their business proposal to a panel of five business investors. “When I walked onto the Shark Tank set I was overcome with emotion,” Deborah Torres told VegNews. “I couldn’t believe how far we’d come. All of the sleepless nights spent washing dishes until 4 am, followed by food festival setups at 6 am really paid off.” While details of the Shark Tank episode have yet to be released, a “shocking decision” is expected to be made by the vegan chicken company. Last year, Atlas Monroe’s now-famous Cajun Fried Chick’n and Waffles was declared the best dish by Extra Crispy editor-in-chief Ryan Grim at the National Fried Chicken Festival in New Orleans, LA. Since then, the company has gained a national following, including celebrity fans such as Jermaine Dupri, Tabitha Brown, and Jay Versace. In addition to vegan fried chicken, the company also offers deep-fried and stuffed vegan meats such as turkey (available seasonally), ribs, and bacon. On October 6, Atlas Monroe’s Extra Crispy Fried Chick’n will also launch at vegan burger shop Honeybee Burger in Los Angeles and restaurant 512 Quantum Sound in New Jersey.