Discover how Jimmy Donaldson transformed online fame into a multi-billion pound business portfolio with surprising profit sources
Published: 11 March 2025
Key Takeaway
While MrBeast dominates YouTube with viral videos, his chocolate brand Feastables generates significantly higher profits than his media operations, highlighting how digital creators can successfully leverage their audience to build diversified business empires.
Jimmy Donaldson, better known worldwide as MrBeast, stands as YouTube’s most prominent star. However, according to recent financial documents, his primary revenue generator isn’t his viral video content—it’s chocolate sales.
Chocolate Outperforms Content
Beast Industries, Donaldson’s company and majority owner of Feastables, saw the chocolate business generate approximately £250 million in sales during 2024 with profits exceeding £20 million. This contrasts sharply with his media business, which despite similar sales figures, recorded losses of nearly £80 million during the same period.
This financial revelation comes from documents circulated to potential investors, offering a rare glimpse into the business operations behind one of social media’s biggest personalities.
Expanding Beyond Media
Donaldson has strategically leveraged his massive digital following to establish businesses outside the media sphere. Beyond Feastables, Beast Industries holds shares in snack brand Lunchly and owns Viewstats, a software company providing digital tools for content creators.
To fund these ventures, Beast Industries has secured over £450 million in investments over four years. Currently, the company seeks several hundred million more to expand existing divisions and venture into new markets including:
- Video games
- Beverages
- Wellness products
Impressive Valuation Despite Losses
Last year, investment firm Alpha Wave led a £300 million Series C round that valued Beast Industries at approximately £5 billion—a significant increase from roughly £1.5 billion just months earlier. This valuation stands out considering the company has posted losses for three consecutive years, including nearly £60 million in 2024.
During a January appearance on The Colin & Samir Show podcast, Donaldson acknowledged that “scaling a business is very, very difficult.”
Star Power as Business Leverage
Beast Industries possesses a distinctive advantage—it’s built around one of the world’s most recognised celebrities. Investment documents position MrBeast as the second most-followed person on social media, behind only footballer Cristiano Ronaldo.
This star factor makes Beast Industries more attractive to certain investors than typical startups. Among companies founded by social media creators or celebrities, Beast Industries ranks among the most valuable, comparable to Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty and Kim Kardashian’s Skims.
Media Business Challenges
Donaldson’s rise to fame began with gaming videos at age 11, eventually leading him to drop out of university to pursue YouTube full-time. His breakthrough came through grand-scale stunts and giveaways with attention-grabbing titles like “Ages 1-100 Fight for £500,000” and “I Spent 50 Hours Buried Alive.”
Today, his North Carolina-based operation employs hundreds, including 200 production staff. The spectacular nature of his content comes at a premium—each video for his main channel costs between £3-4 million to produce.
Recouping these expenses through YouTube revenue alone proves challenging, especially with limited monthly uploads. To expand his entertainment business, Donaldson partnered with Amazon, which paid approximately £100 million for the first season of “Beast Games”—one of reality TV’s most expensive deals ever.
Despite this substantial investment, Beast Industries lost money on the first season after spending over £100 million. At one point during production, Donaldson spontaneously doubled contestants’ prize money, adding to cost overruns.
Professional Management and Future Growth
Jeffrey Housenbold, a venture capitalist, now serves as president and CEO of Beast Industries. He has built an executive team and departments for brand partnerships and strategy while preparing for a potential initial public offering.
Housenbold aims to reduce costs by an estimated £100 million this year while turning the company profitable. The company projects profits of about £300 million by 2026, attributing past losses to typical startup expansion mistakes.
“We have an unprecedented platform in terms of reach and fandom,” Housenbold stated. “We have the opportunity to launch multiple businesses on the backs of that centre of reach and distribution.”
Trend Among Digital Creators
Donaldson isn’t alone in this business diversification approach. Other notable social media stars making similar transitions include:
- Podcast host Alex Cooper with drink line Unwell
- YouTuber Emma Chamberlain with her coffee business
- Logan Paul, co-founder of Prime energy drink and Donaldson’s partner in Lunchly
Feastables’ Sweet Success
Donaldson launched Feastables in 2021 with Jim Murray, former president of protein bar company RXbar. The chocolate brand was introduced through prize giveaways, with some winners competing for £500,000 in a MrBeast video.
Despite early challenges including packaging issues, the brand thrived. Today, over 100 people work on Feastables, and the chocolate bars—initially available only at Walmart—have expanded to Europe, Africa, and Asia.
Beast Industries forecasts Feastables will triple in size within two years. Meanwhile, by 2026, media revenue is projected to account for just one-fifth of total company sales.
Housenbold summarised the strategy: content and media are “a marketing investment in everything else we do.”
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Author: JobXDubai Editorial Team
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