Whatever Happened To Terra

Fitness products are a regular sell on "Shark Tank," and the long-running reality series has showcased everything from the Simply Fit Board to Sworkit. In fact, when entrepreneur Greg Nigro entered the tank to pitch his product Terra-Core, his eyes lit up when he heard about Lori Greiner's success with the Simply Fit Board — a piece of plastic that she catapulted to $100 million in sales in one year.

Nigro hoped to find similar success with Terra-Core, a multi-use fitness product that promised "hundreds of exercises in only three square feet," thanks to a dynamic, air-filled surface, handles, and band bridges. Nigro first began a Kickstarter campaign in 2016, and he raised $95,678. By the time he appeared on a Season 11 episode of "Shark Tank" in 2019, the company had made $2.1 million in sales.

Nigro entered the shark tank seeking $300,000 for 15% equity in Terra-Core, and Daymond John, Kevin O'Leary, guest shark Anne Wojcicki, and Lori Greiner all made offers based on the strength of its numbers, as well as the product's corresponding app. Nigro took the QVC queen's offer of $300,000 for 22.5%. Although some of the other sharks worried that Terra-Core would be another flash-in-the-pan fitness fad, the product still appears to be doing well.

Like many a "Shark Tank" pitch before it, Terra-Core benefited from some on-screen publicity. After appearing on the series in late 2019, Terra-Core sold out through the end of April 2020, and the product has been featured in Men's Health and The Wall Street Journal. It no doubt helped that Greg Nigro is a reputable fitness expert, with his wellness consulting brand, The Gym Sherpa, having courted such clients as Vin Diesel and Sylvester Stallone.

Terra-Core maintained its staying power through the outset of the pandemic, when at-home fitness equipment sales skyrocketed. In Spring 2020, fitness equipment sales reportedly grew by 170%, and the Washington Post posited that the home fitness boom wouldn't significantly slow in the post-lockdown era.

Terra-Core's sustained availability reflects that continued interest. Terra-Core is currently available on its website, as well as on Amazon. The company has also expanded to accessories like bands, sliders, and a massager. Its YouTube page hosts dozens of workouts to follow along with at home, and its 83,000 Instagram followers are nothing to sneeze at either. Terra-Core's social media presence is bolstered by endorsements from famous athletes, with Troy Aiken, Drew Brees, and pro surfer Erin Brooks among its high-profile users.

The sharks also endorsed Nigro's plan to lower the cost from $279 to $199, but at the time of this writing, Terra-Core is still selling for the higher price. It doesn't seem to have deterred shoppers, who have rated the product 4.6 stars on Amazon.