Everybody Loves Mama O's Premium Kimchi | Shark Tank US | Shark Tank Global

next in the tank is an ancient food with modern health [Music] benefits hi sharks how you doing my name's kademo I'm the founder of Mama O's premium kimchi based out of New York City and to the left of me is a living legend my mom mama o hi shars hi along with my beautiful and very pregnant wife Amy who could not be here today we are the owner operators of Mama O's premium kimchi we are seeking $250,000 for a 10% Equity stake so sharks everyone knows k kimchi is delicious but did you also know it's super nutritious kimchi is an ancient super food from Korea it is naturally fermented and is full of probiotics that's right kimchi's health food but more importantly it tastes incredible and not just with Korean food either kimchi goes great with hamburgers hot dogs mac and cheese the list goes on what makes our kimchi the best is our authentic Korean mom recipe kept fresher than other brands by our Innovative Packaging in addition we invented the first and most complete homemade kimchi kit what used to take over 3 hours now you can do in less than 10 minutes because all the grinding mixing measuring juicing chopping and shopping is already in the jar just like my mom used to make and it comes out perfect every time it's a lot easier than you think so sharks who's interested in fermenting some money while augmenting your tummy with Mama O's premium kimchi good job I love kimchi Damon if you wouldn't mind as a fellow New Yorker would you help Mama own make some kimchi on stage using our kit absolutely it will be an [Music] honor Hi D today you're going to turn this mama o premium kimchi kit to Mama with premium kimchi it's like sex education but spicier please put on this rubber gloves thank you you normally need rubber gloves during sex education for Kim you start with a head of Napa cabbage called pachu in Korean P all right I've already cut one and brind overnight next add on of kimchi paste scoop it out with your fingers as much as you can take out okay that's enough that's okay that's enough now let's mix just gently toss it gently tenderly lovingly I'm getting turned on Damon that's it it's ready for fermentation but some of us enjoy just made fresh kimchi and eat it like salad a a that's sweet now we put it in the kimchi uh jar and it looks like this so what is this right here this is an airlock that makes your kimchi breathe while it's fermenting it's so amazing thank you I feel so so war and fuzzy now a Daman first of all thank you sharks uh you have a sample of what we're offering we have four different kimchi the kimchi paste and uh Kim chili hot sauce which I didn't even mention in the pitch yet I thought it was only just one type actually there are hundreds of types of kimchi but the one that most people know are and familiar with are napa cabbage we have the original vegan version mild version did you try this war you about the super spicy is like it's really hot I want to know about you guys like how did you come up with this idea I needed some kimchi for myself and uh I live in New York my folks live in Maryland so it's too far to go to Maryland to bum a jar so I would bring it back in this exact cooler our family cooler and back then I would wheel it home on my skateboard wow so I asked my mom to teach me how to make it and then I was buying some ribs and the butcher's like ah you eat with that with some kimchi and rice eating like a king So I said to him you know I sell this stuff I did and he said I want to start carrying it now we are nationwide through Whole Foods we just got into how much does it cost to make and how much did you sell it for it costs us $2.65 to make a bag of kimchi and it retails from $8.99 and up and the kimchi kit uh we make them for $8.25 and we wholesale for $20 so tell us about your sales our Topline sales for last year was $815,000 wow nice good job and what will sales be this year year this year we are projecting a million dollar and how much will you make 25% good for you and is the majority of your sales right now coming through Whole Foods or is a direct a consumer we do almost zero online sales we have our own website but that's that's not our Focus but we also uh partner with William Sonoma have you been in there a long time probably about 8 years now so why ar your sales higher uh I built this company for $50 and a skateboard so building it up I have Z Z outside investors I've done everything myself let me re ask the question because you've got the distribution so what's holding you back from being a 2 three 5 million dollar company because I always thought the way that businesses work is you you you make money in the business and then you can hire more people instead of getting any are making money I'm assuming you pay yourself or is that part of the 250 so uh I don't pay myself I've invested the money back into the business got it first of all you started this with $50 in a skateboard I'm a mom I have sons how does this make you feel mama oh to see your son build something like this I am proud of him but more than anything I'm thankful that he is an honest hardworking entrepreneur who is passionate about kimchi he singlehandedly run the kimchi business now two years ago he met Amy and got married they expecting their first baby next month and Amy had lots of experience in Food business she K her well-paying job and joined our company so now we are a dream team at the cusp of fantastic growth so with your backing the sky is the limit a that's really beautiful honestly beautiful you can't bring mom like that's that's unfair you have a million in sales you know I look at it and say to myself you have to educate people about what this is and I think over time as people become much more concerned about healthy foods this is going to fit in that category the hardest job of this is actually getting people to try it it's not for me guys I'm sorry I'm out he guys one of the hardest things an entrepreneur has to do is determine when to add their first employee because you have to give up a little bit of control when you try to go for growth like that but after eight or nine years there had to have been an opportunity for you to do this I just don't think you're going to be confident and I think it's going to be hard for an investor to work with you so for those Reasons I'm as much as I love you both and as much as I love kimchi and I think it's really spot on for the future it's just not investable for me and I'm sorry I'm out thank you your story was so inspiring and Mama oh you are one of a kind truly but if I'm going to invest in something I got to be able to like really stand behind it and sell it and I'm not a kimch shei person for that reason I just can't invest that amount Damon you're the last shark uh tough one because I I you've sold a good amount over the years but why do you feel that you're ready to change the way you've been operating with your family mhm why is this the time we're we're expecting a baby next month so that's another mouth to feed uh shs please if I may say something Mama kimchi company needs money for capital investment and and expanding our facility why but not only money but your expertise your direction your guidance your support I would like to have someone to come in and teach us and then lead us to the big Market that's why we are here well I'm want the offense and I think it's really because of mama she she's definitely just amazing I'm I'm going to have to trust uh I think my gut I'm not obsessed with the product I'm just obsessed with the culture you and Mama o and I I hope I don't regret it no you know what I hope I do regret it but unfortunately I'm out good luck guys thank you for this uh opportunity to swim with the sharks good luck congrats do I think the sharks made a mistake today absolutely well the important thing is that we stay healthy and love each other that's the most important thing

Channel: Shark Tank Global

Views: 395,284

Keywords: Shark Tank, Shark Tank US, Shark Tank Australia, Kevin O’Leary, Barbara Corcoran, Daymond John, Robert Herjavec, Mark Cuban, Lori Greiner, Dragons’ Den, Money Tigers, Entrepreneurship, investment, reality tv

Id: xWhpX-3Q6x8

Length: 10min 11sec (611 seconds)

Published: Wed Mar 13 2024