CANTON – Teen maple syrup producer Joshua Parker didn’t walk away with any financing following his appearance on ABC-tv’s “Shark Tank” Friday, but he gained valuable advice and admiration from the panelists.

CEO of Parker Maple Farm, Parker began his maple syrup business four years ago at age 15 and told the sharks he has since rung up $360,000 in sales. His website says the products are sold in more than 500 stores in all 50 states.

The sharks, who have all run wildly successful businesses, were especially impressed with Parker’s maple cotton candy. It “is out of this world,” proclaimed Greiner.

“This will be your best seller,” said shark Mark Cuban, who noted the entire container contains only 114 calories. “Whenever you have something this big that tastes this good,” the low number of calories should be plastered across the whole label, he said.

He also encouraged Parker to raise the price to $2.99 from $1.50, even though the product costs just 72 cents to produce

The panelists were also awed by the maple butter, which Parker said is “perfect for toast, icing, fruit.”

Parker appeared on the show seeking $200,000 for a 20 percent stake in his company. He said he is “getting interest from big retailers and I need a shark’s investment to help me take that next step.”

In his pitch to the panelists, he said, “today, Parker Maple is one of the fastest-growing and one of the most innovative” maple syrup companies in the nation. “We will be America’s brand for real maple.”

He predicted total sales would reach $1.5 million by the end of the year, based on his hope that a $100,000 order from Costco would lead to his products selling in 75 to 125 of their stores.

But shark Barbara Corcoran wasn’t so sure. She said in her experience, Costco doesn’t offer additional stores quickly and it could take a number of years. She suggested Parker’s “projection is based on optimism.”

And panelist Robert Herjavec was concerned Parker is not making enough money on each product sold. Parker told him his maple butter would sell for $11.99 at Costco and costs $8.46 per unit to produce. “Wow, your margin is awful,” said Herjavec.

Added panelist Kevin O’Leary, “you’re not actually profitable yet.”

By the end of the show, all of the panelists declined Parker’s funding request, but he was still upbeat.

“I think I learned more than a semester in college,” he said, adding that he planned to make changes that “I think are right for the company” and “really take their advice.”

Parker’s “Shark Tank” segment opened with a shot of a “Welcome to Canton” sign and video of Parker and his father, Christian Parker, passing the maple syrup while eating a meal.

Later, Christian tells his son, “If you don’t know your numbers, you’ll not know your business.”

“I was fortunate that my father was willing to co-sign a bank loan and lend me $70,000 of his own money,” Joshua told the panelists. Christian Parker is president of Parker Line Striping based in DeKalb Junction.

“My dad has helped me tremendously” by helping obtain loans and lines of credit, Joshua continued.

He said “total liability against the company” is about $300,000, which equals the value of his maple processing equipment and $180,000 of inventory.

The excess inventory occurred, he explained, because he bought $125,000 worth of maple syrup expecting a big order that never came through.

After that experience, Parker said he decided to “double-down,” re-brand, and actively pursue big-box stores.

It appears he has taken the sharks’ advice to increase his profit margin.

Friday night, on the Parker Maple website at www.parkersmaple.com, the maple cotton candy was described as “114 calories of real delicious-ness” and priced at $4.95.

And the maple butter was offered at 16 ounces for $14.99 and 22.75 ounces for $17.99.

The "Shark Tank" segment was taped earlier this year.