MrBeast's business empire stretches far beyond viral YouTube videos

"Jimmy Donaldson might have made his fortune on YouTube, but the man better known as MrBeast has plans for a much wider financial empire-and he's well on his way to achieving it. Through Beast Industries, the $5 billion holding company for his growing corporate ecosystem, Donaldson is assembling a wide range of businesses that extend far beyond the influencer space. The latest expansion came on February 9, with the purchase of the teen-focused banking app Step."

"Donaldson makes more from Feastables than he does from his social media videos. Launched in 2022 as a chocolate bar company, it quickly expanded into other snacks, including cookies and gummies. The products are stocked at Walmart, Target, and CVS and distributed internationally. And despite spending virtually nothing on advertising and marketing, the company hit annual revenue of $200 million faster than any other consumer packaged goods brand, ever."

"This joint venture, founded alongside Logan Paul and KSI, two other giants in the creator space, is positioned as a healthier alternative to Lunchables (though there's virtually no evidence backing up that claim). The brand had a big PR misstep in 2024, when its meals were alleged to contain moldy cheese, which caught the attention of the Food and Drug Administration. Lunchly got through that controversy and its products are still on the market, with four varieties of snack kits available at stores."

Jimmy Donaldson expanded beyond YouTube through Beast Industries, a $5 billion holding company that assembles diverse businesses across consumer packaged goods, food, and fintech. Feastables grew from a 2022 chocolate bar startup into a snack portfolio sold at Walmart, Target, and CVS and reached $200 million annual revenue faster than any consumer packaged goods brand, despite minimal marketing. Lunchly, a joint venture with Logan Paul and KSI, markets snack kits positioned as a healthier Lunchables alternative and overcame a 2024 moldy-cheese controversy involving FDA attention. The acquisition of teen-focused banking app Step signals a strategic move into fintech targeting younger consumers.

Read at Fast Company