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Brumachen on ‘Shark Tank’: What's the cost, who are the founders and is this coffee brewer fit for a long trip?

Dubbing itself as the 'world's first portable brewer and eco-friendly coffee pods', the Brumachen Bottle is an innovative way to carry coffee

After you a caffeine addict? This intriguing ‘Shark Tank’ product is tailor-made just for you. An immigrant from Ghana and a social media star from Indianapolis, Indiana, bring new meaning to taking your coffee on the go with their single-serve all-in-one portable product.

Dubbing itself as “world's first portable brewer and eco-friendly coffee pods”, the Brumachen Bottle is an innovative way to carry coffee and make coffee at the same time! On its Instagram page, the product sheds light on its features, explaining, “The first-ever single-serve portable brewer with flexible power options ranging from a home adapter, a direct plug in for vehicle use, and an external battery pack for off-the-grid adventure use.”

Weighing just a pound and a half in the shape of a flashlight, isn't it just perfect to take along on a camping trip, long trek, or an adventure in the wilds?

What is the Brumachen Brewer?

Designed to brew just the right amount of coffee, Brumachen can keep your day going no matter where you are with a brew of up to six ounces per session. Need another cup? Go ahead and brew yourself one more. And it's super quick too. It takes approximately six minutes to brew a cup of coffee with room temperature water at 68°F, however, it may take longer if water at a lower temperature is used. 

If you're heading out with your friends and wondering how to charge it, the Brumachen has 3 power source options. Brew in your car with the attached car power port. Brew at home or in the office with the included wall outlet adapter. Even brew off the grid with an approved and tested portable battery. 

In fact, you can fly with the Brumachen but always remember to keep it in your carry-on. It may not be transported in a checked bag due to the Li-polymer battery. What's more, the Brumachen Brewer uses sugarcane-made biodegradable pods that degrade in 180 days instead of plastic coffee pods that take up to 400 years to degrade.

Who are the founders?

Kweku Larbi and Ross Smith are the brains behind the innovative product. An unlikely pair, Kweku is a math wiz and Ross is a social media sensation with over 15 million followers on TikTok who creates quirky videos with his 94-year-old grandmother. How did the idea pop up? Well, it first came from Kweku. The Ghana boy first came to America to study and got a degree in Civil Engineering from Cleveland State University.

When he was on construction sites, he would often crave a cup of coffee and there wasn't a shop in sight. Soon, he designed the product from scratch and used a 3D printer to produce the revolutionary prototype. After testing the durability and quality, he found a manufacturer in Asia. Kweku then teamed up with the internet celebrity Ross, who has earlier collaborated with NFL and BurgerKing. Now, the two are all set to show off their amazing product on ‘Shark Tank’.

What is the cost?

Sporting a simple design, the all-in-one Brumachen Bottle weighs just over a pound and measures 11 inches by 2 ½ inches. It comes at a discounted cost of $99.99 (with the original price being $120.99). Well, you can also get it in four interest-free payments of $25! Rated at 12V and 10 Amps, the brewer comes with a refillable pod and an adapter for home use.

The founders also offer a one-year limited warranty and you can get a portable battery sold separately if you're planning a long-distance trip. On the website, Brumachen also sells leaf pods — Colombia Roast | Single Origin, Donut Shop | Organic, Morning Blend | Organic, French Roast | Organic — all available at $24. Do you think it's a little too pricey or would you go for it? 

Where to buy it?

After kickstarting their business on Kickstarter in January 2020, founders Kweku and Ross managed to raise $41,553 despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Owing to a few glitches with manufacturing, they ran out of money to ship their finished products and are now looking for an investment on ‘Shark Tank’. 

If you're keen to buy it, the Brumachen Brewer is available on the official website.

Who will steal the deal?

Going by the pitch, we feel Kweku Larbi and Ross Smith might have to go home without a deal. Frankly, since the product is created for long trips and adventure trips, no one would be looking to buy or invest in it with the COVID-19 pandemic in play.

Sharing a snippet from the new episode, the official Twitter handle wrote, “#SharkTank is where dreams come true. Watch an all-new episode tonight at 8|7c.”

‘Shark Tank’ Season 12 Episode 9 returned to ABC after the winter break on January 8, 2021, at 8 pm ET. Catch the latest episode featuring Daniel Lubetzky on January 22, 2021, at 8 pm ET/ 7 pm CT on ABC.