Milkify on 'Shark Tank': Where and how to turn breast milk into powder milk with 3-year shelf life
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Milkify is not just a product, it is a solution to a common problem that new mothers face when it comes to storing breast milk. Dr Berkley Luck, with her expertise as a molecular biologist and experience as a new mom, recognized the need for a product that could solve the problem of unusable breast milk caused by high lipase or other factors that affects taste when stored in the freezer. With the help of her husband Pedro Silva, who is a successful marketer and co-founder of Milkify, they came up with an innovative solution that has gained a lot of popularity and followers all around the US prompting them to come on the ABC show 'Shark Tank'. With their easy-to-use shipping kits and local drop-off options, Milkify handles all aspects of breast milk logistics for their clients, making them the first-of-its-kind "breast milk concierge."
As the only company in the US that offers this unique service, Milkify has no competitors in the market. This gives them an added edge and makes them an attractive investment opportunity for renowned investors like Mark Cuban, Kevin O'Leary, Daymond John, and Lori Greiner, who are known for their shrewd business acumen and keen eye for promising startups. Milkify's appearance on 'Shark Tank' is a testament to the innovation and creativity of the product and the potential it has to transform the lives of new mothers and their babies. With the support of these renowned investors, Milkify is set to make a significant impact in the market and revolutionize the way breast milk is stored and used.
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What is Milkify?
Milkify is an innovative and exceptional concierge service that specializes in freeze-drying breast milk, providing a reliable and convenient storage solution for nursing mothers. With its state-of-the-art facility, Milkify is the first of its kind, meticulously designed and certified for processing breast milk. This unique service is tailored to the individual needs of mothers, offering an efficient and hassle-free way to preserve their breast milk for extended periods without refrigeration or freezing.
Milkify’s freeze-drying service is an uncomplicated and seamless process, making it easy for customers to utilize. It begins by providing the customer with a comprehensive breast milk shipping kit. The customer packs their frozen breast milk into the shipping kit, which is then returned to Milkify using the provided pre-paid overnight shipping label. Once received, Milkify’s patent-pending contact-free process removes water from the breast milk, which is then packaged and sealed in high-barrier, single-serve pouches. Each lactation bag sent to Milkify is processed separately and converted into its pouch of powdered milk, ensuring that the bag-to-bag method guarantees the highest quality and safety of the breast milk.
In addition to its user-friendly process, Milkify’s freeze-drying service offers numerous benefits to both mothers and their infants. Freeze-dried breast milk can be stored for up to three years without refrigeration, making it an ideal solution for mothers who need to store their milk for longer durations. Moreover, freeze-drying preserves the nutritional content of breast milk, including fats, proteins, carbohydrates, antibodies, immune factors, and probiotic bacteria. This ensures that infants receive the same essential nutrients as they would from fresh breast milk.
Breast milk powder is 90% lighter than frozen milk and can be easily rehydrated with water, making it a convenient option for on-the-go mothers. Furthermore, Milkify takes extreme care in processing and packaging breast milk, ensuring the highest level of safety and quality. The company’s SafeDry™ process guarantees that each bag of frozen breast milk is processed individually, without pooling or contact with equipment or utensils.
This contact-free, in-bag method ensures that the milk’s nutritional and immunological properties are preserved throughout the process. Milkify’s custom labeling and tracking system ensure that every pouch of freeze-dried breast milk is traceable, and vital information such as expression date, diet, medications, and other essential notes are recorded. This provides peace of mind to mothers, knowing that they have access to accurate and detailed information about their breast milk. The rehydration instructions provided on each pouch help mothers reconstitute their milk to its original consistency, ensuring that their infants receive the same high-quality breast milk they deserve.
In conclusion, Milkify’s innovative freeze-drying service is a game-changer for nursing mothers. Its cutting-edge technology, user-friendly process, and exceptional quality and safety standards make it a reliable and convenient solution for storing breast milk for extended periods. Mothers can rest assured that their infants receive the same essential nutrients from Milkify’s freeze-dried breast milk as they would from fresh breast milk.
Who are the founders of Milkify?
Milkify was founded by Dr Berkeley R Luck and Pedro Silva, who bring their expertise in sterile handling, food safety, customer service, and logistics to the company. The team ensures that Milkify’s services adhere to the highest quality standards, using lab-grade equipment, stringent quality controls, and a 100% natural, chemical-free process.
Dr Berkeley R Luck
Dr Berkeley's journey from college to co-founding Milkify is one of passion and dedication to infant health. Her academic pursuits led her to Houston, where she attended the prestigious Baylor College of Medicine for her PhD program. It was during her time as a graduate student that she became fascinated with the crucial role that gut bacteria play in infant health. As a molecular biologist, she delved deep into the intricacies of probiotics and their impact on the human body. However, it was a chance encounter with a coworker struggling to pump breast milk that sparked the idea for Milkify. Her coworker was lugging the pump back to work, and it was evident that there was a need for a more convenient and efficient solution for storing breast milk. Dr Berkeley, armed with her knowledge of freeze-drying, decided to create a process that could preserve breast milk's nutritional and immunological properties without the need for refrigeration or freezing. After much research and development, Milkify's patent-pending process of freeze-drying breast milk was born. This process is centered around SafeDry™, special freeze-drying pouches that ensure the milk is processed individually without any contact with equipment or utensils, guaranteeing the highest level of safety and quality.
Dr Berkeley's educational background and professional experience have also been instrumental in Milkify's success. She completed her Bachelor's degree from the prestigious University of Texas at Austin and then pursued a Ph.D. in molecular biology from Baylor College of Medicine, one of the most well-respected institutions in the field. She then went on to work as a research assistant at Glori Energy Inc in 2013, honing her skills as a scientist. In the following four years, she was a Biomedical Research Scientist at Baylor College of Medicine, where she continued to develop her expertise.
In 2018, Dr Berkeley took a brief hiatus from her research career to work as a Consultant, Lead of Microbial Discovery and Product Development at Solarea Bio. Here, she gained valuable insights into product development and honed her business acumen, preparing her for her current role as COO and co-founder of Milkify. Today, Milkify stands as a testament to Dr Berkeley's passion for infant health and her unwavering dedication to providing mothers with a reliable and convenient solution for storing breast milk. Her journey serves as an inspiration to many, proving that with hard work, dedication, and a bit of innovation, one can make a positive impact on the world.
Pedro Silva
Pedro, a brilliant marketer, and Milkify's Co-founder graduated from Rice University, where he obtained a bachelor's degree in Economics and Business. Throughout his illustrious career, Pedro has amassed a wealth of experience that spans over a decade. His journey began in 2008 when he worked as a Web Developer at Rice Alliance for Technology & Entrepreneurship, where he played an instrumental role in developing web solutions that empowered entrepreneurs to grow their businesses. Following his stint at Rice Alliance for Technology & Entrepreneurship, Pedro worked at Merrill Lynch as a Seasonal Client Associate, where he gained valuable insights into the world of finance. He then moved on to JP Morgan in 2011, where he worked as an Investment Banking Summer Analyst. In recognition of his outstanding work, he was promoted to Investment Banking Analyst, where he focused on Energy Coverage for the next three years.
Pedro's expertise in the energy sector landed him a role as the Assistant Vice President at EIG Global Energy Partners, where he made significant contributions to the company's growth and success from 2015 to 2019. However, his entrepreneurial spirit and passion for innovation led him to co-found Milkify alongside his wife, Berkeley. With his extensive background in marketing and finance, Pedro brings a unique perspective to Milkify's operations. His skills and experience have been instrumental in shaping Milkify's business strategy, ensuring that the company delivers exceptional service to its customers. Pedro's vision and dedication to creating a successful enterprise are evident in Milkify's growth and achievements.
What is the cost and where to buy Milkify from?
At Milkify, every step of the breast milk preservation process has been meticulously designed to ensure that precious milk is protected and kept fresh, while minimizing any potential hassle. From the moment the milk arrives at the facility, it undergoes a series of quality control checks to ensure that it meets all standards. Each bag of milk is meticulously weighed and logged, and labeled with a unique tracking ID and the customer’s name so that it can be easily traced throughout the process. Next, the milk is transferred into the patented SafeDry lyophilization pouches. These specialized pouches are designed to shield the milk from any potential contamination, while still allowing water vapor to escape, ensuring that the milk is completely protected during the freeze-drying process.
Each pouch is then handled separately to ensure that the milk remains labeled throughout the process, and is carefully monitored to ensure that it is freeze-dried to perfection. Once the freeze-drying process is complete, the breast milk powder is packaged in a state-of-the-art ISO5 cleanroom workstation, using sterile techniques to ensure that the milk remains completely safe and free from any contamination. Each bag of milk that is sent to Milkify is treated as a separate pouch of powder, to ensure that the milk remains fully traceable throughout the process. Before they send the milk back to customers, Milkify conducts a final quality control check to measure the water activity or "dryness" of the breast milk powder, to ensure that it will remain shelf stable for up to three years.
When it comes to shipping your milk back, they make it as easy and hassle-free as possible. Their easy-to-use shipping kits come complete with everything you need to ship the milk safely and securely, including a pre-paid shipping label. With a safe-arrival guarantee, customers can be confident that the milk will arrive at the doorstep in perfect condition. Of course, pricing is an important consideration for all customers, and they have worked hard to ensure that their prices are competitive while still maintaining our high standards of quality. The cost of our service depends on the amount of milk that one wants to preserve and the location. For quantities of 30-40 oz of milk, Milkify charges a service fee of $99.00, plus shipping costs ranging from $79 - $209. For larger quantities of up to 275-350 oz, the service fee is $499.00, with shipping costs ranging from $129 - $299. And if Milkify send less milk than you originally selected, Milkify will pro-rate a refund at $1.75/oz.
Where is Milkify now?
Since its inception in 2019, Milkify has emerged as a trailblazing company that has revolutionized the storage and transportation of breast milk. With their easy-to-use shipping kits and convenient local drop-off options, Milkify has simplified the process of breast milk logistics for new parents. They have pioneered the concept of being a "breast milk concierge," taking care of all aspects of breast milk management for their clients, allowing them to focus on caring for their little ones. Thanks to over $1 million of investment and months of meticulous development, Milkify proudly inaugurated its brand-new flagship facility in Houston in October 2022.
This state-of-the-art processing center is the only Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certified facility in the U.S. that is designed exclusively for the freeze-drying of human milk. The expansive 6,400-square-foot Houston space is a significant upgrade from their previous cramped 200-square-foot facility. Since its inception, Milkify has saved over 500,000 ounces of breast milk from the freezer, which is a testament to its unwavering commitment to its clients. The opening of its flagship facility marks a significant milestone in the company's journey, as they continue to set new standards in the breast milk management industry.
The new facility's advanced technology and innovative processes ensure that their clients' breast milk is kept safe and secure throughout the entire process, from initial reception to final delivery. In conclusion, Milkify's dedication to providing exceptional service to its clients has propelled them to the forefront of the breast milk logistics industry. With its cutting-edge technology, unparalleled expertise, and top-notch customer service, Milkify is setting new standards and paving the way for a better future for parents everywhere.
Who will steal the deal?
Milkify is a one-of-a-kind company in the US market. Its innovative approach to freeze-drying breast milk has not been replicated by anyone else, giving Milkify a significant advantage over its rivals. This has attracted a lot of attention from investors, including the famous entrepreneur Mark Cuban. Cuban's interest in investing in innovative startups is well known, and Milkify's revolutionary product is likely to pique his interest.
'Shark Tank' Season 14 Episode 19 airs on ABC on Friday, April 7, at 8 pm ET. You can catch the latest episode the next day on demand, or on Hulu. You can also watch old seasons and episodes on Amazon Prime Video and iTunes.