The vegan lifestyle is gradually becoming a movement and revolution, bringing in hundreds and thousands of people to make that extra switch to eat a bit more consciously. With the sudden rise in the popularity of the vegan lifestyle, people are now looking for easy vegan meals.
To tap into that idea and make the concept of vegan fried chicken a lot more accessible Atlas Monroe was released. Founded by Deborah and Jonathan Torres, the brand appeared on Shark Tank and managed to woo the sharks.
The brand was so well-perceived by the sharks that Rohan Oza and Mark Cuban were all ready to buy the brand entirely. However, the founders weren’t convinced and turned down the deal. At present, Atlas Monroe is valued at $7 million.
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Quick Facts
| Business details: | Atlas Monroe is a plant-based food company known for its Southern-style vegan fried “chicken” and other comfort foods. The brand gained national attention after appearing on Shark Tank and is sold online, in select restaurants, and through food service partners. |
| Founders name: | Deborah and Jonathan Torres (Founder & CEO of Atlas Monroe)) |
| Founded in: | 2017 |
| Location (Country): | San Diego, California, United States (operating and shipping across the U.S.) |
| Investment Asked by Company: | $500,000 for 10% equity (implying a $5 million valuation) |
| Sharks on board (Investors): | None – Atlas Monroe left Shark Tank without a finalized deal. |
| Accepted Deals: | No deal accepted. Deborah Torres turned down an offer of $1 million to buy the entire company, plus 10% royalty, from Mark Cuban and Rohan Oza. |
| Shark Tank Episode: | Shark Tank U.S. – Season 11, Episode 2 (first aired in 2019). |
| Net Worth | $7 million |
| Business Status: | Active – Atlas Monroe continues to operate as a vegan food brand, offering direct-to-consumer shipping and supplying select restaurants and food partners. |
| Social Media | Facebook |
| Last Updated: | November 14, 2025 |
About the Founders
The founders of the company, Deborah and Jonathan Torres, are married. The couple went on Shark Tank to pitch their product, with hopes that they would be able to bag a good deal for their company.
When it comes to the ideation of the product, it was Deborah who came up with it. Her parents immigrated to the United States. While her father was from Guyana, her mother was from the U.K.
This multicultural family dynamic exposed Deborah to a variety of international cuisine. Also, her grandmothers owned restaurants and the concept of fried chicken was pretty predominant in her household.
Founding Atlas Monroe
Deborah’s journey to starting her business with her husband stems from her father’s diagnosis of diabetes. Her father was asked to switch up his diet to better augment his well-being.
Terrified about her father’s health, Deborah was on a quest. She started watching a documentary titled, “Simply Raw.” From that documentary, Deborah came to know the influence of a vegan diet on one’s well-being and that’s when she started to cook vegan food.
Once she started noticing improvements in her father’s health, she started working on finding the best plant-based meat alternative, cue the idea of Atlas Monroe fried chicken.
Atlas Monroe on Shark Tank
Deborah and Jonathan Torres pitched their product on Shark Tank in 2019, where they asked for $500,000 for 10% equity.
Initially, Barbara backed out citing that the company was in its primitive stages for such a hefty investment. However, Mark Cuban, who is a vegetarian, found the product interesting. Mark counteracted their pitch for 30% equity.
Later, Mark wanted to collaborate with Rohan Oza who wanted to buy the entire company and offered a million dollars alongside a 10% royalty. The founders rejected the offer.
Atlas Monroe after Shark Tank
Although everyone thought that putting down the million-dollar deal was a bad idea, their decision turned out to be the best.
Following their Shark Tank episode, Atlas Monroe got a boost in their sales, to the point that they had to shift to a new facility in San Diego. Surprisingly, they are one of the biggest fried chicken companies in the world.
Although there aren’t any confirmed figures to track the revenue and sales it can be guessed that they have made over $5 million in sales.
Is Atlas Monroe Still In Business?
At present, Atlas Monroe is doing well, and its owner, Deborah Torres, still runs the show. You can find their products in more stores now, both in retail and online. They have also added new tasty options to their menu, like garlic Parmesan popcorn chicken, spicy chicken, fajitas, vegan items, and more.
The company also teamed up with Copper Branch, a vegan fast-food place. Right now, they are available in more than 40 spots across Australia, Canada, and Nashville, Tennessee.
In San Diego, you can grab to-go meals, even brunch on weekends. Plus, they offer local delivery through GrubHub, Uber Eats, and Doordash.
FAQs
1. Is Atlas Monroe still in business?
Atlas Monroe, ever since their appearance on Shark Tank, has continued to grow. The company is standing out as one of the leading options in the space of vegan meat alternatives and their quality is what sets them apart.
2. Who is the owner of Atlas Monroe?
The owner and CEO of Atlas Monroe is Deborah Torres. She is the one that’s behind the product development and even the marketing part.
3. Is Atlas Monroe sold in grocery stores?
Besides their online website, Atlas Monroe is also sold across the United States in the varying and leading grocery stores that you can think of.
