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A vitamin spray idea made it to ‘Shark Tank’ — then triggered one of the show’s messiest fights

Lori Greiner gave up on her 5% share during a pitch in an attempt to avoid a partnership with Kevin O’Leary.

‘Shark Tank’ has had its share of dramatic moments, with judges battling over deals and pitching their best offers to contestants. But when Marz Sprays entered the tank, it triggered an unprecedented clash of egos. The father-son duo’s product sparked a fight between Lori Greiner and Kevin O’Leary. They both vied for the deal, but in the end, Greiner missed out. In Season 4, Brandon and Keith Marz pitched Marz Sprays, asking for $200,000 in exchange for 10% equity. The sprays offered an alternative to traditional pills, making supplementation easier for those who struggle to swallow tablets. The product line, which intrigued the judges, included sprays for weight loss, vitamin C, and sleep support.

"Over 100 million people in the United States alone cannot or have difficulty swallowing pills. What's worse is they might not even work. If you took a vitamin B or a vitamin C pill, which may look like it's the size of Pittsburgh, you may only absorb 10 or 20% of it. As a father of two boys who refused to swallow any pills, I knew something had to be done," Keith addressed the Sharks, according to Market Realist. They claimed their sprays were more potent than pills and easily absorbed by both kids and adults.

They then shared that their company hadn’t made any significant sales yet. This revelation caused most of the Sharks to quickly lose interest. Interest returned when the duo revealed they were in talks for a licensing deal with Nature Made. Nature Made is one of the largest wellness companies in the U.S. The duo also mentioned securing purchase orders worth up to $1 million from European customers.

Next, although the product had interesting details, Daymond John was the first to back out of investing in the company, stating that he had no interest in dealing with European approval wait times. Following him was Robert Herjavec, who admitted he was not into wellness products. "I'm not a big believer that you have anything that's protectable. I think you've vastly underestimated how much money it's going to take to become the brand. I'm out," Mark Cuban added to the contestant’s dismay. Soon, Greiner presented her offer: $200,000 for 30% equity with a contingency that they would close the licensing deal with Nature Made. O’Leary praised Greiner’s offer, also appreciating her hold on the market.

The Shark then asked Greiner if she was interested in a joint deal for 40% equity. However, Greiner straight-up refused to work with him. This provoked O’Leary to say, "I threw her an olive leaf, and she stepped on it. I am forced to do this now. I will give you the $200,000 for 25%." The judge also maintained, "Do not screw with Mr. Wonderful," while looking at Greiner. Later, Greiner lowered the equity to 25%. To which O’Leary added, "You should thank me! I saved you 5%! You should give that to me for free." While Brandon tried his best to get both the Sharks on board, the entrepreneurs had to go with Greiner's deal in the end.