Where is Bee Sweet Lemonade now? Company earns $5M yearly revenue after 'Shark Tank' debut
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Childhood entrepreneurialism seldom survives into adolescence, but Mikaila Ulmer has taken that passion and run with it. Honeybees stung her twice in one week when she was four years old. Rather than being afraid of them, she learned more about them and how important they are to the ecosystem. Ulmer was inspired to attend a young entrepreneur expo in her hometown of Austin, Texas, by her parents, who encouraged her to utilize honey from local bees in her great-grandmother's flaxseed lemonade recipe. Her lemonade was so popular that she began selling it in front of her house, contributing a portion of the revenue to help rescue the bees through Bee Sweet Lemonade (now Me & the Bees Lemonade).
The lemonade grew so popular that it was sold in different locations and restaurants across Austin, including Whole Foods Markets and Quickie Pickie. Mikaila and her father, Theophilus Ulmer, appeared on 'Shark Tank' Season 6, Episode 23 in search of $60,000 for a 10% stake in Bee Sweet Lemonade.
RELATED ARTICLES
Where is TANDM Surf now? Company changed name four months after 'Shark Tank' appearance
What happened during their time on 'Shark Tank'?
Mikaila Ulmer, who was 10 at the time of filming, wowed the Sharks with her poise. The business had made a little more than $25,000 in revenue the year before. The discussions began after their presentation. For a variety of reasons, including high costs, competition in the beverage sector, and a dislike of lemonade, the majority of Sharks left. Shark Daymond John intervened, though. Ulmer and her father ultimately agreed to a deal at a cost of $60,000 for 25%, but only if John's distributor on the East Coast could convince shops to take it.
Where is Bee Sweet Lemonade now and how is the company faring?
Sales have surged by more than 350% after the show aired. She also landed an $11 million distribution deal with Whole Foods, which has begun retailing the product at 55 of its locations. She even met the president and the first family in 2015 at the White House Kids' State Dinner. Mikaila receives an update bit in episode 6 of Season 12 when she fills in the Sharks on her company and rebrands to Me & the Bees. The lemonade is currently available at 1500 retailers throughout the country, including Wegmans and Whole Foods, The Fresh Market, as well as hundreds of smaller establishments. The company's yearly revenue is $5 million as of October 2022. In Season 14, episode 17, the business receives another update.
'Shark Tank' Season 14, Episode 17 airs on ABC on Friday, March 17, 2023, at 8 pm ET. Catch the latest episode featuring products like Crispy Cones, Chubby Buttons, Autio, and Tngnt alongside an update segment on Me and the Bees.
Missed an episode? Been wanting to catch up? Episodes can also be viewed the next day on demand and on Hulu. You can also watch old seasons and episodes on Amazon Prime Video and iTunes.