In 2015, Alex Craig turned a humble potato into a million-dollar message delivery system. Armed with a Sharpie and a spud from his local Walmart, Craig launched Potato Parcel, a service that lets you send messages on potatoes. Initially dismissed as a quirky idea, it quickly became a viral sensation, generating between $10,000 and $13,000 in monthly profits.

The idea took root on Reddit, where it captured the internet's imagination and was soon featured by major media outlets like USA Today and CNBC. By October 2015, entrepreneur Riad Bekhit saw the potential and purchased the company for $40,000, moving operations to San Bruno, California. Under Bekhit's leadership, the business expanded its product line to include potatoes with faces, postcards, and even holiday-themed spuds.

The company gained further notoriety with a successful appearance on Shark Tank, where Kevin O'Leary invested $50,000 for a 10% stake. This exposure helped Potato Parcel grow its annual revenue to between $600,000 and $700,000, eventually totaling $7 million in sales.

Potato Parcel's journey from a simple gag to a global novelty gift empire proves that sometimes the best ideas are the ones that don't take themselves too seriously. After all, who knew a potato could deliver so much more than just carbohydrates?