Varnum client Vade Nutrition was featured on a recent episode of the television series “Shark Tank,” where it received a $700,000 investment from billionaire Mark Cuban and baseball icon Alex “A-Rod” Rodriguez. Among Vade’s innovative offerings are its protein powder pods, individual servings of protein powder wrapped in a food-grade film that dissolves when shaken or blended in liquid.
Varnum intellectual property and corporate attorney Tim Kroninger has worked with Vade founder and owner Joe Johnson since 2016, after meeting him through their mutual affiliation with Michigan State University and Spartan Innovations. In addition to assisting Vade in the areas of intellectual property and trade secrets, Kroninger has served as outside general counsel to the company, providing counsel with corporate matters, contracts, financing and licensing deals, among other areas.
Work in progress to protect the company’s intellectual property was put into an even higher gear when Johnson received notification he would be featured on the show in late 2018. Kroninger has also provided advice and counsel on certain aspects and issues of the deal with the Shark investors.
“Tim and Varnum have been by our side since the very beginning of Vade and I don’t know what I would have done without them,” Johnson said. “It’s been an incredible journey, and I’m extremely thankful to have one of the best law firms on my side.”