MrBeast's Biggest Moneymaker Isn't YouTube Or Even Beast Games—This Business Will Surprise You

Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, has taken over YouTube and even ventured into gaming with Beast Games. But what if his most lucrative business isn't what you'd expect? Forget the viral videos and digital competitions—his biggest money-spinner might just surprise you.

Despite being the world's biggest YouTube star, MrBeast's primary source of income isn't creating viral content—it's selling chocolate. Feastables, his chocolate brand, is largely owned by Beast Industries, the business empire behind his growing ventures.

Beyond YouTube: The Chocolate Empire

According to information from potential backers, the firm brought in approximately £193.88 million ($250 million) in sales and more than £15.51 million ($20 million) in earnings last year. In that matching timeframe, MrBeast's media operations, covering his YouTube presence and the reality series on Amazon Prime Video, achieved a similar sales figure but experienced a deficit of close to £62.04 million ($80 million).

Over the last few years, MrBeast has capitalised on his recognition from YouTube and other social platforms to create ventures unrelated to media. Alongside Feastables, Beast Industries invests in Lunchly, the snack brand, and is the proprietor of Viewstats, a software company that markets digital instruments to other online creators.

According to sources familiar with their past fundraising efforts, Beast Industries has gathered more than £348.98 million ($450 million) in the past four years to finance these businesses. According to those documents, which detail performance for the first nine months of 2024 and project figures for the rest of the year, the company aims to secure a few hundred million dollars more.

These funds would be used to grow current operations and branch into new markets, including video games, drinks, and wellness. The Verge previously covered some of those documents.

Beast Industries' Billion-Dollar Climb

Beast Industries' valuation jumped from approximately £1.16 billion ($1.5 billion) to around £3.88 billion ($5 billion) following a £232.66 million ($300 million) Series C funding round led by Alpha Wave, a United Arab Emirates-linked investment firm.

Yet, this occurred despite the company's three consecutive years of financial losses, including nearly £46.53 million ($60 million) in 2024. As MrBeast stated on The Colin & Samir Show podcast in January, scaling a business 'is very, very difficult.'

However, Beast Industries has a unique edge: it revolves around one of the world's most recognised personalities. The investor presentation highlights MrBeast as the second most-followed individual on social media, surpassed only by soccer icon Cristiano Ronaldo.

For some investors, MrBeast's celebrity status adds a layer of attraction that most startups lack, according to a Bloomberg report. In companies created by online stars or celebrities, Beast Industries is already among the most highly valued, similar to Selena Gomez's Rare Beauty and Kim Kardashian's Skims.

From Gaming Streams To Global Star

Donaldson began his YouTube journey at age 11, recording himself playing video games like Call of Duty and Minecraft. After years of intense study into practical video formats, he left college to pursue YouTube as a career.

Soon, MrBeast captivated a young audience with elaborate stunts and giveaways, using attention-grabbing, straightforward titles like 'Ages 1-100 Fight for $500,000' and 'I Spent 50 Hours Buried Alive.' Today, he racks up billions of views annually across multiple YouTube platforms.

MrBeast has established a large-scale operation in his native North Carolina, employing hundreds, with 200 dedicated to production. These elaborate videos carry a hefty price tag. As each production generally involves a different task, MrBeast's team is perpetually on the move, reaching remote spots and building complicated stages.

Insiders familiar with the company's financial details say that the average video on MrBeast's primary channel now ranges from £2.33 million to £3.10 million ($3 million to $4 million). Recovering those high production costs proves challenging. YouTube revenue alone can only go so far, particularly with just a few monthly uploads. To expand his entertainment ventures, MrBeast pitched a TV show concept to major streaming platforms.

Beast Games Hits Streaming

Amazon eventually committed around £77.55 million ($100 million) to produce the initial season of Beast Games, representing one of the most substantial reality TV deals in history. Despite the large budget, Beast Industries experienced financial losses in the first season.

During production, MrBeast's spontaneous decision to double the contestant prize money further contributed to the cost overruns. As MrBeast later recounted on the Diary of a CEO podcast, 'I lost tens of millions of dollars on Beast Games.' He noted that his focus was on delivering a top-tier production.

Leading up to the launch of Beast Games, fellow YouTuber Rosanna Pansino published videos revealing subpar conditions on the set, leading to several months of unfavourable press. This potentially reduced interest from potential brand sponsors. Ultimately, MoneyLion Technologies Inc., a fintech firm, served as the show's main backer.

Released in December, the show sought to compete with the second season of Netflix's Squid Game. Subsequently, Amazon announced Beast Games as its top-performing reality TV series and approved two more seasons.

Budget negotiations are still in progress. As MrBeast stated on The Colin & Samir Show, 'I hope I break even on seasons two and three, but I'm not good at breaking even.'

Steering Beast Industries' Growth

To head Beast Industries, MrBeast recruited venture capitalist Jeffrey Housenbold as president and chief executive officer last year. Since then, Housenbold has completed the executive leadership role with a chief financial officer, a chief product officer, and a general counsel, and it has also formed teams for brand partnerships and strategy.

The top executive aims to create a more corporate structure for the operation, eliminate wasteful spending, and enter new business sectors with a possible initial public offering in mind.