Where Is Pricklee From Shark Tank Today?

While coconut water offers essential nutrients like potassium and antioxidants, not everyone is a fan of its mildly sweet and nutty flavor. This was certainly the case for the originators of Pricklee, a cactus water manufacturer, as reported by CBS News Boston. After co-founders Kun Yang and Jaanai Babb complained about the taste of coconut water, a mutual friend and fellow Pricklee-founder Mohammed Hassoun told them about a prickly pear-derived drink his grandmother used to make in Lebanon. After juicing some prickly pears (also known as cactus pears), the friends quickly discovered how delicious the drink actually was, more so than the derided coconut water.

The founders of Pricklee initially introduced their new product to the public by handing out samples while dressed as fun and festive cacti. The company eventually found its way to "Shark Tank," appearing on episode 22, season 13 of the hit reality show. And proving the appeal of their hydrating beverage, their appearance resulted in two legends of the Tank squaring off.

To highlight the appeal of their product, Pricklee founders Yang and Hassoun, began their "Shark Tank" pitch by insisting that coconut water's time has come and gone. Instead, the entrepreneurs touted the taste and health benefits of cactus water after asking the Sharks for a $200,000 investment in return for a 5% share of the company. The business primarily attracted the attention of two Sharks, Barbara Corcoran and Kevin O'Leary.

O'Leary expressed reluctance in making a deal with beverage companies, which he said have a tendency to flop. He ultimately offered the pair the full $200,000 but wanted 20% of the company. The Pricklee founders countered by suggesting that O'Leary instead give them a $200,000 line of credit for 10%. When O'Leary asked for 10% and began talking about taking a royalty on the cactus water, Corcoran decided she had seen enough and leaped at the new opportunity to save Pricklee from a costly deal. She offered to invest the $200,000 as a line of credit in return for only 5%. After only a few glances, it was clear Pricklee had struck a deal.

A few Sharks who opted out of the proposed investment offered some sage advice to Pricklee, suggesting that the company develop clearer brand messaging (via Sony Pictures Television). Mark Cuban specifically remarked that Pricklee should focus on the sustainability aspect of their product. Perhaps in response to the Sharks pointing this out, Pricklee rebranded from "superfruit juice" to "cactus juice" shortly after its "Shark Tank" appearance (via BevNet), and the company's website proudly proclaims the environmental benefits of the product.

According to Pricklee, the prickly pear cactus — the crop used in the company's signature drink — needs very little water to grow, which has positive agricultural implications. For obvious reasons, drought can have a drastic effect on produce prices, but because Pricklee's product doesn't require as much water, the company is less impacted by this habitual problem for agricultural-based businesses. In fact, the company's website promises to "empower" its customers to "live resiliently like the cactus." Additionally, the company changed the design of its cans to feature colorful desert landscapes.

In June 2022, Mo Hassoun told The Hamilton Spectator that Pricklee's cactus water flew off the shelves after the company's appearance on the show. He expressed his gratitude over the fact that his company now has Barbara Corcoran's trusted business mind in its corner.