bakeryThe Profit · Season 2, Episode 8 · Aired April 15, 2014
Key West Key Lime Pie Co.
Key West, Florida
Good outcome here: the business is still trading today.
What happened after
Active bakery/tourist shop, official site with online ordering, 12.9K FB followers.
What happened on the show
The Key West Key Lime Pie Co., run by Jim and Alison, was riding high on a nation's best pie reputation and strong sales, and still not turning a profit. Marcus found two locations, one of them a money losing shipping office, and was disappointed that the signature pies leaned on pre made crusts and powdered ingredients to save time. He put in $450,000 for 51 percent on two conditions, stop selling what you do not make, and develop a genuinely proprietary pie. He shut the unprofitable shipping office and cleared the store of non company clutter, which grated on Jim, and brought in three pastry chefs to build new recipes, which grated more. The twist came when the staff told Marcus that Jim's own original crust had been the best all along, better than the pre made version he had come to rely on. Jim perfected the recipe, the shop was renovated to put the pies and the baking process front and center, and Marcus gave manager Tami, pregnant and working two jobs, a raise and maternity pay. The store reopened well, though Jim never fully made peace with the change.
After the cameras left
The pie company is thriving. It operates as an active bakery and tourist stop with a live official site, online ordering, and a following near 13,000 on Facebook. The tension the episode captured, an owner reluctant to let go of shortcuts, evidently resolved in favor of the business, because more than a decade later the shop is still selling key lime pie to a steady stream of Key West visitors. Confirmed operating as of 2026, high confidence.
Sources
Confidence: high. Last checked 2026-07-19.