MARGATE - "Shark Tank," the multi-Emmy® Award-winning business entrepreneurship series will feature Mad Mutz Mozzarella Sticks in an upcoming episode airing on ABC network 8 p.m. Friday April 18. Mad Mutz is co-owned by Margate residents and close friends Mike Hauke and Michael Burns.
“Shark Tank” features The Sharks – tough, self-made, multimillionaire and billionaire tycoons as they invest in America’s best businesses and products. The Sharks give people from all walks of life the chance to chase the American dream and potentially secure business deals that could make them millionaires.
MAD MUTZ/Michael Hauke makes a batch of fresh mozzarella sticks.Hauke is the creative culinary genius behind Mad Mutz and three successful Tony Boloney’s restaurants in Atlantic City, Hoboken and Jersey City.
“As crazy as it sounds, I invented flavored fresh mozzarella more than 10 years ago," Hauke said. "Since then, I have created a proprietary recipe for Mad Mutz Mozzarella Sticks that maintains their integrity when cooked in a deep fryer or air fryer at home. After gradually integrating them into my own restaurant menus, I knew that these freshly made and uniquely flavored mozzarella sticks weren’t like anything else on the market today.”
Hauke sought a partner who could see his vision and help expand the company’s reach to a national scale.
“I reached out to my good friend and fellow serial entrepreneur Michael Burns,” Hauke said.
MAD MUTZ/Michael Burns of Mad Mutz Mozzarella Sticks during a promotion at a local supermarket.Burns called getting a segment on Shark Tank is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“When I first tasted Mad Mutz, I knew Mike had something special on his hands and I wanted to help take this company to the next level,” Burns said. “The exposure from being featured on ABC’s ‘Shark Tank’ would provide us with both the opportunity to partner with an investor with proven success and also the opportunity to get millions of eyes on our brand.”
Mad Mutz has the ability to produce 60,000 mozzarella sticks a day in it Atlantic City “laboratory” and is quickly approaching that number with distribution through several supermarkets, regional food distributors and direct-to-consumer shipping, Burns said.
MAD MUTZ/Mad Mutz Mozzarella Sticks offer a spicy, cheesy treat.Local retailers and restaurants in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Colorado are already featuring Mad Mutz and the demand is growing by the day, Hauke said.
“We are ready to take this global and we already have plans to expand our production capabilities. There are a lot of exciting developments in the pipeline, stay tuned.”
