Celebrity Partnerships With Food & Drink Brands That You Forgot All About

Product/Brand: Sugarpova
Affiliation: Owner
Released: 2012
Status: Available

Maria Sharapova made waves on the court as a tennis pro, but she’s also got several business ventures. In 2012 she launched Sugarpova, a line of sweets. Although it’s a saturated market to get into, Sugarpova is still doing well. In the first year alone, over 2 million bags of the Quirky, Sporty, and Smitten Sour sweets were sold. 

Maria Sharapova Sugarpova @IndySport / Twitter.com

Maria paid out a huge chunk of her fortune to set up the business, allegedly shelling out over $300,000. Considering she makes $15 million a year, it was worth the risk to be able to compete with brands like Hershey. 

Many people have tried to launch sweet lines, but few have succeeded. Maria must be doing something right. Over the course of her tennis career, the Russian-born athlete took home over $38 million in prize money. Considering how short a sports career can be, Maria was smart to invest her money wisely.

Product/Brand: JR’s BBQ Sauce
Affiliation: Owner
Released: 2009
Status: Available

Jim Ross is a name that wrestling fans know well. As a commentator and talent scout, Ross is heavily involved with the wonderful world of wrestling, but his interests don’t end there. Ross launched his own BBQ sauce back in 2009. 

Jim Ross JR’s BBQ Sauce @JRsBBQ / Twitter.com

By all accounts, the sauce is delicious, so much so that his J.R’s Family BBQ range still remains popular to this day. You can purchase JR’s condiment on Amazon or on his own website for around $7.99 a bottle. His late wife Jan was a huge fan of the product right up until her passing in 2017. 

Ross later said that his mother was his inspiration for launching the line in the first place. “Well, the idea to do the sauce has been in my head since I was a young man. My mother was my inspiration. She used to make barbecue sauce.” Clearly, it really is just like mama used to make!

Product/Brand: This Bar Saves Lives
Affiliation: Co-Owner
Released: 2013
Status: Available

This Bar Saves Lives is more than just a snack. It’s an entire project that was founded back in 2013 by actors Kristen Bell, Ryan Devlin, Todd Grinnell, and Ravi Patel. Not only are the granola bars tasty, but every bar sold provides food to help children in impoverished areas like Haiti, Ethiopia, and Somalia.

Kristen Bell This Bar Saves Lives @Kristen_Bellorg / Twitter.com

It’s an important and honorable mission that’s now 7 years old. Bars are still widely available on sites like Amazon, where a 12-bar variety pack sells for just under $24. Helping the world and getting a tasty snack? What’s not to love?

Although Kristen might be best known for her role in Disney’s Frozen, she’s always busy working on projects that can be beneficial to others. She launched Hello Bello, a line of plant-based baby products, alongside her husband Dax Shepard in 2019.

Product/Brand: Cabo Wabo Tequila
Affiliation: Former Owner
Released: 1996
Status: Available

Sammy Hagar, aka The Red Rocker, is known for many things. Not only was he a rock superstar as part of Van Halen, but an iconic solo artist in his own right. He’s also a bit of a whizz when it comes to tequila. 

Sammy Hagar Cabo Wabo Tequila @mitchlafon / Twitter.com

Hagar first ventured into the booze business with Cabo Wabo Tequila back in 1996. After steering it through good and bad times, Hagar eventually sold his stake in the brand to Campari Group 14 years later for $11 million. The tequila is still on sale to this day, although you can’t pick it up at usual stores like Kroger.

Tequila is a popular choice of beverage for many people in the entertainment industry, so it makes sense that Sammy would choose to back Cabo Wabo. Among his other business endeavors, Hagar has a line of restaurants and a brand of rum called Santo Mezquila.

Product/Brand: Rock Your World Sauce
Affiliation: Former Owner
Released: 2004
Status: Discontinued

Joe Perry isn’t short of a few dollars, seeing as his bank balance exceeds over $80 million. But even a guitarist as popular as him needs to protect his interests and create other streams of income. That’s where his Rock Your World Sauce came in. 

Joe Perry Rock Your World Sauce @FakeDavidFricke / Twitter.com

The hot sauce hit shelves back in 2004 thanks to the quick thinking of the Ashley Food Company. While it stayed on the shelves for a time, it looks like the product is just a distant memory now. There are listings for it on Amazon, but at the time of writing it’s unavailable to buy. 

Perry is still very active in the music industry, so the downfall of his sauce line likely didn’t affect his schedule too badly. When he isn’t on stage with Aerosmith he can be found recording with the supergroup Hollywood Vampires and even with rapper Pitbull. He’s a man of many talents.

Product/Brand: High Protein Pudding
Affiliation: Former Owner
Released: 2004
Status: Discontinued

If Sylvester Stallone will be remembered for anything, it’s that he was a man that looked after his body in his prime. You can’t film movies like Rocky without being seriously in shape. It’s this rock-hard rep that helped Stallone create InStone, a line of fitness products. 

Sylvester Stallone ©Denis Makarenko/Shutterstock | High Protein Pudding @fakeronwash38 / Twitter.com

The High Protein Pudding was just one of many different items on offer, promising to help consumers maintain a healthy weight while also reaching their fitness goals. Sadly for the Sony star, InStone didn’t last all that long and came crashing down thanks to a series of lawsuits. 

Although Sylvester was in deep with InStone, it’s not the only product that he’s leant his name to. Over the course of his career the actor has partnered with brands like Brisk, Citterio Food, Pontiac Bonneville, and Kirin Beer. It just goes to show that a familiar face can work wonders. 

Product/Brand: Big Mo’
Affiliation: Brand Co-Owner
Released: 2007
Status: Discontinued

When you become as famous as Nascar Nextel Cup driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., there’s only one thing to do. Release your very own chocolate bar. Dale Jr.’s Big Mo’ first hit the market back in 2007 thanks to the hard work of R.M Palmer Company. 

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Big Mo' @ella777111 / Pinterest.com

Fans got not only one, but two flavors: creamy caramel and peanut butter. Unfortunately for fans of the snack, distribution died out some years ago so you won’t find this short-lived sweet sensation on the shelves at Walmart. Considering Dale Jr. is worth an estimated $300 million, something tells us he’s not losing any sleep over it.

While we’re used to seeing big basketball stars or top athletes plaster their faces all over products, it’s slightly more unusual to see a racecar driver taking on such a blatant endorsement deal. It does happen though. British star Lewis Hamilton has partnered up with brands like Bose, L’Oreal, and Sony in the past.

Product/Brand: Dwight Yoakam’s Chicken Lickin’s
Affiliation: Owner
Released: 2006
Status: Discontinued

Dwight Yoakam has had huge success as a country singer, having more than 30 of his tracks hit the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Considering how saturated the world of country music is, that’s no small feat. However, while Dwight may be a great musician, he probably should’ve stayed out of the kitchen. 

Dwight Yokam - Dwight Yokam's Chicken Lickin's @dwightyoakam / Facebook.com @MY FAVOURITES / Pinterest.com

Back in 2006 Dwight Yoakam’s Chicken Lickin’s hit stores, but buyers weren’t convinced. The breaded rings of chicken weren’t the only thing Dwight served up. There was a whole range of frozen chicken fingers, pizzas, and more. It looks like they’re discontinued, so you won’t have to worry about stumbling across them in Costco. 

Some buyers were rightly concerned about the ingredients in the product, while others simply didn’t like the taste. Either way, this is likely a period in time that Dwight would like to leave on the shelf, no matter how much he once believed in the power of Chicken Lickin’s. 

Product/Brand: Patti LaBelle’s Sweet Potato Pie
Affiliation: Owner
Released: 2015
Status: Available

Is there anything that Patti LaBelle hasn’t tried in her career? She’s a singer, songwriter, actress, businesswoman, and baker. Back in 2015, LaBelle rocked the world when she released her Sweet Potato Pie. The pie retails for just $3.98, but its appeal goes way beyond the price. 

Patty LaBelle - Patti LaBelle's Sweet Potato Pie @JoyRoseM / Twitter.com

Fans went so wild for the product upon its release with one pie sold every second for 72 hours according to Food and Wine. That’s an incredible feat. Walmart struck a deal with LaBelle to exclusively market the tasty dessert. NBC News dubbed it “pie pandemonium.” 

It’s not very often that celebrity products really make the headline news, but Patty achieved widespread notoriety for her pie. LaBelle did work hard on the promo circuit though, including an appearance on The Steve Harvey Show and by writing articles for publications like The Cut on how to balance a healthy lifestyle.

Product/Brand: Macadamia Nuts
Affiliation: Owner
Released: 2011
Status: Available

Comedian Roseanne Barr hasn’t had it all that good the last few years. Prior to her rebooted and subsequently canceled sitcom, Barr was spending her time working on her 64-acre macadamia nut farm in Hawaii. 

Roseanne Barr Macadamia Nuts @nydailynews / Pinterest.com

The working farm still produces nuts to this day, although it’s not immediately clear where you can buy them. Despite all the controversy Roseanne has faced in recent times, she still keeps the farm going. Disney’s Lifetime even centered a whole show around the strange business venture called Roseanne’s Nuts back in 2011, although it only lasted one season. 

It was a strange change of tack for Barr, with many fans confused as to why she would go down the nut farming route in the first place. In the press release announcing the show, Barr said, “I’m coming back down to earth, and keeping it real. They’ve said ‘Roseanne’s nuts’ for years, and now I’m going to make that a reality — I’m all about nuts now, macadamia nuts!”

Product/Brand: Pastamania
Affiliation: Former Spokesman
Released: 1995
Status: Discontinued

Back in the ‘90s, Hulk Hogan was a star that could do no wrong. Kids looked up to him, adults found him mildly entertaining – and restaurant-goers flocked to his Pastamania restaurant in the Mall of America. At least, for a little while. 

1995 Pastamania Hulk Hogan @ostpies / @MikeBeauvais / Twitter.com

The WWE star launched his eatery in 1995, serving up dishes like Hulk’s Power Pasta and Hulkaroni and cheese. Sadly for Hogan and his business partners, the venture proved to be ultimately unsuccessful, leading to the closure of the company after less than a year of trade. 

As you might imagine, the advertising for the brand was a little bizarre, with Hulk and his famous handle-bar mustache leading the way. Branding shots included the star wearing a yellow chef’s hat while holding a big bowl of spaghetti, just to make the premise explicitly clear.

Product/Brand: Blue Chair Bay
Affiliation: Owner
Released: 2013
Status: Available

Plenty of musicians and actors launch alcohol empires, including the king of country, Kenny Chesney. The multi-award-winning singer hit the market with his Blue Chair Bay rum back in 2013, but is it all that it’s cracked up to be? 

Blue Chair Bay Rum Kenny Chesney @BlueChairBayRum / Twitter.com

Apparently, yes. The AT&T artist poured his own money into the business, telling Forbes after it launched, “I own it 100%. It was important to me, it’s my inspiration, my story. It’d be hard to share that with anyone else.” In the first three years of business, Chesney tripled his profits at a time when the rum industry, on the whole, was down. 

That’s an impressive feat for anyone, let alone a country singer that’s new to the business. Chief Operating Operator Tim Houston said, ““If you get it right, people are willing to pay a little more for a premium product. In spirits, you see a lot of premium products trending up. Even with a one-point-per-year sales drop in the rum category, you have premium rums, the $15-$20 750ml bottles, trending up about 12% over the past two years.”

Product/Brand: Slimmons
Affiliation: Former Owner
Released: 1974
Status: Discontinued

Richard Simmons is an eccentric figure in the world of entertainment as one of the first fitness personalities to grace our screens. He first created the Slimmons brand in the ‘70s after launching a fitness studio that included a salad bar restaurant called Ruffage. 

Richard Simmons Slimmons @ gbnfgroceries.blogspot.com / Pinterest.com

Slimmons grew to include motivational and aerobics classes, but by 2016 it couldn’t quite keep up with the competition and closed for good. Simmons has since retired from the public eye, although he does occasionally post to his YouTube channel. 

Aside from his efforts with Slimmons, Richard has amassed quite the media resume. He has published 12 books, dozens of fitness videos, CD’s, tapes, and more. His empire is quite astonishing considering he once likened himself to a “court jester.”

Product/Brand: Heidi Klum’s Fruit Flirtations
Affiliation: Former Owner
Released: 2006
Status: Discontinued

Models have been known to step into the business world and make an absolute fortune. Just look at Tyra Banks. Heidi Klum thought she would take note and decided to create a line of fat-free candies back in 2006.

Heidi Klum Heidi Klum's Fruit Flirtations @Celebrity | VIP | Superstar / Pinterest.com

Klum did her best to get behind the sweets, but there’s no denying that the packaging looked a little sub-par, even if it did have her face plastered on it. It wasn’t Heidi’s best work. The product soon faded into the background after sales dwindled, never to be seen again. 

Some stars could easily take a hit from a failed enterprise like this, but Heidi has just gone from strength to strength over the years. From 2013 to 2020 she served as a judge on Simon Cowell’s hit series America’s Got Talent and is considered one of the world’s highest-earning models.