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‘Shark Tank’ contestant offers coffee lovers a caffeine-free alternative — but the sharks aren’t buying in

Coffee is one of the most loved beverages, but also a reason behind a lot of health issues. However, this ‘Shark Tank’ pitch might be a solution.

Drinking coffee is not only a morning routine but also a conversation starter, a date night plan, and a lot of other things. However, most people are trying to get over this habit only to keep their lifestyle healthy. While it may seem a bit of a tough task, Orleatha Smith on ‘Shark Tank’ Season 15 came forth with a herbal solution. Making an appearance, Smith introduced her product, Sip Herbals. She also said, it gave coffee lovers the same refreshing taste and yet was a gentle beverage for one’s body. Talking to the sharks, Smith also mentioned that she had carefully chosen the ingredients that were healthy and gave a fine taste of coffee. 

Sharing her experience, Smith explained how people usually feel incomplete if they don't take a sip of coffee. After she concluded her pitch, she presented them with a few flavours. An intrigued Kevin O’Leary asked for further details and the product’s market size. Smith expressed, 20% of Americans can’t tolerate coffee. Mr. Wonderful then asked if her words meant that she had a 20% market share reduction for her product.

Explaining herself, Smith said that the stated number won't give up on drinking coffee. This was when the guest shark, Candace Nelson, mentioned she happens to be one of those people, also stating that she loved the product. The guest shark then asked Smith how her product tasted like coffee, even when it did not have caffeine in it. Smith explained that chicory dandelions are one of its ingredients, which are caffeine-free coffee alternatives. Talking numbers, Smith explained that the production cost was around $3 per bag. The product then retailed for $19–$24. 

Talking about her goal, Smith explained that she aims to make people’s lives healthy again and also help them keep their morning ritual as it is. Furthermore, Smith also said that she wants people to start their day with a beverage that keeps them energetic and gives nourishment to their bodies. Although showcasing extreme passion, Lori Greiner pulled out. The shark mentioned that she would love to be its customer rather than invest in it. Joining her was Daymond John, who was impressed by the idea behind Sip Herbals, but did not see it as a business that he could be a part of.

Next, Mark Cuban cited that the business is not investable, dropping out as well. This left Smith with O’Leary and Nelson, who previously took an interest in her brand. However, to her dismay, Nelson mentioned that the business did not align with her interests. Meanwhile, O’Leary expressed that Sip Herbals’ return on investment timeline was not justified. According to Shark Tank Recap, while none of the sharks invested in Smith’s Sip Herbals, after her appearance on ‘Shark Tank,’ Smith expanded distribution through her website, Amazon, as well as stores. She aimed for Lazy Acres and New Leaf Markets.