Where Pricklee Cactus Water stands after appearing on Shark Tank

Shark Tank season 13 episode 22 featured a pair of friends and co-founders, Kun Yang and Mohammed “Mo” Hassoun pitching their gut-based healthy drink brand called Pricklee Cactus Water.

They entered the stage dressed as cactuses, describing the product as introducing their beverage as a product set to unseat coconut water, Mother Nature's ultimate thirst quencher, asking for $200,000 for 5% equity in their company.

Launching the brand in February 2021, the drinks have half amout of calories and sugar content as compared to normal coconut water antioxidants and electrolytes making it a healthier option in beverages and unique in the market.

Hassoun's childhood nostalgia kicked off when his grandmother made the Prickly pear drinks for him in Lebanon when he saw prickly pears in the market in Boston.

He made a drink and made his friends try it, who instantly liked the taste.

The ingredient list included pureed prickly pear, filtered water, agave nectar, lemon juice, and other natural flavors. On how they figured out how to make the drink, and things started moving fast, Per Yang said,

We launched in February 2021, and we had put up a Facebook ad just to promote the brand ... Literally that Friday, we get this email from 'Shark Tank.' It was the casting director saying we should apply. We weren't sure if it was real or not.

What happened to Pricklee Cactus Water after appearing on Shark Tank?

On the Shark Tank episode that aired on May 13, 2022, entrepreneurs Mark Cuban, Lori Greiner, Kevin O'Leary, Barbara Corcoran, and guest panelist Emma Grede were present, who tasted the three flavors of the product, namely, original prickly pear, Wild Strawberry with Hibiscus, and Tropical Mango with Ginger, generally liking them.

However, Kevin O’Leary warned that beverage deals on the show are brutal, pointing to the distribution challenges in the beverage market.

Barbara Corcoran agreed with him, calling it a dangerous category.

O’Leary was the only one interested in the company, as everyone else backed off from investing. He offered $200,000 for 20% of their company. 

Yang pushed back, asking how they could realistically repay such a steep cut.

O’Leary reasoned his offer explaining that hitting $50 million in sales on the East Coast and then being acquired by a larger beverage giant is his long term success goal.

Yang asked O'Leary to reconsider their original ask of $200,000 in exchange for 5% equity, as a line of credit, and coming on board as an advisor.

O'Leary insisted on wanting royalties with a 10% share in the company. Barbara Corcoran, who also initially called Leary a bully, intervened, telling the Pricklee founders that she is willing to take the offer of extending a line of credit in exchange for 5% equity, which the founders accepted.

Later on, Yang described the situation and the argument between the two sharks as,

"That was pretty funny. It felt like there was some pre-existing tension floating around the room. But seriously, they have a great relationship, and they're consummate professionals."

After the Shark Tank appearance, Pricklee experienced a significant growth and transformation in their sales.

The brand’s retail was limited to UNFI and regional distributors in the Northeastern US before the episode streamed.

Later on, Pricklee expanded its distribution nationwide, securing agreements with retailers such as Whole Foods Market and Sprouts Farmers Market, which carried the beverage in all stores across the country.

The founders also changed the branding of their products as they got adviced by sharks on Shark Tank. 

Mark Cuban and Emma Gede felt the need to highlight the unique selling proposition of the product such as the attributes of edible cacti, high antioxidant content of prickly pear, and the fact that it's an eco-friendly crop that takes very little water to produce.

By 2023, the brand reached its major milestone by selling one million cans and also gained visibilit through partnerships including with former NFL and WWE wrestler Sabby Piscitelli who became a brand ambassador.

Apart from the marketing boost from the Shark Tank episode, Corcoran has also been involved in advising Pricklee. Yang explained, 

"We still talk to the team very regularly. She has a great team that really supports her and her brands ... they support us however they can."

Pricklee is still active, selling its original flavors in over 1100 retail outlets and also spreading across e-commerce websites like Amazon, and its own website through a subscription model offering 15% discount and free delivery.