Fresh Bellies
Fresh Bellies is a company from Westchester County, NY, that wants kids to enjoy eating healthy foods. To this end, they have created a line of new baby foods that don't mask the vegetables with sweet fruits or sugar. The basic idea is to hook babies on savory plant flavors so they don't get an early taste, and preference, for sweets.
The entrepreneur claims that it's between four and seven months of age when tastes are formed[1]
The product retails for $3.59 per bottle and $1.99 for small pouches. It requires refrigeration and is therefore not shelf-stable.
The entrepreneur behind Fresh Bellies formerly worked for the NBA in marketing. She hired an executive chef to help make the formulations after raising a Series A for $1,600,000 at a $7,000,000 valuation. However, she stated that she had been approved to raise an addition $5,500,000 from a shark.
Robert was the first out because he believed that it would take millions in marketing to convince people of its benefits. Guest shark Charles Barkley was next out because of the pricing, his feeling that the pricing would leave out minorities, and that he didn't see it as a solution to childhood obesity.
Lori followed Robert and Mr. Barkley out of the deal because she believed some of the flavors were too strong. Mark worried about the dilution of the value for the existing shareholders and, likewise, went out.
Kevin was the last shark in the tank and complimented the entrepreneur on known her her numbers but states that he just doesn't like what they add up to and goes out.
The entrepreneur behind Fresh Bellies ended up leaving the tank without a deal.
This deal aired on Episode 10.13.
Notes
- ↑ No science regarding this was ever offered or it was perhaps not shown.