Where Is Mama O's Premium Kimchi From Shark Tank Today?

Kimchi is a fermented Korean cabbage dish with an ancient history behind its modern reputation as a superfood. And in Season 14 of "Shark Tank," mother Myung Oh and son Kheedim Oh presented the panelists with Mama O's Premium Kimchi. (Fans surely can't forget how Daymond John, in his clean suit, adorned some rubber gloves and made homemade kimchi on stage in a wholesome "Shark Tank" moment.) While no Sharks invested in the company, Mama O's is still in business today.

In 2008, Kheedim Oh founded Mama O's Premium Kimchi in Brooklyn, New York, after encouragement and growing popularity amongst friends for his mom's homemade kimchi. After learning the art of kimchi fermentation, Kheedim first supplied kimchi to a local butcher. From this humble beginning, he could then employ staff and open a production facility in New York. Fast-forward 10 years later, and Mama O's Premium Kimchi is available nationwide at Whole Foods and worldwide on Alibaba. 

Supplied to local restaurants and even found on Amazon, Mama O's Premium Kimchi is a success. So it's a bit of a surprise that it received the outcome it did on "Shark Tank."

Mama O's Premium Kimchi sought $250,000 in exchange for 10% equity, bringing the company's value to $2.5 million. Presenting four different kimchi, hot sauce, a kimchi paste, and a homemade kimchi kit, the pitch had a light-hearted and genuine feel. After a humble introduction and Daymond John's kimchi-making demonstration — which ended in his comment, "I feel so warm and fuzzy now" — the Sharks tried kimchi samples. (The taste turned that warm feeling into a spicy burn, as the Sharks commented on the spiciness of one product.)

The Sharks learned how the brand spent $2.65 to make a bag of kimchi that retails at $8.99 and up. The homemade kimchi kit, meanwhile, cost $8.25 to make and sold wholesale for $20. With 2021's top-line sales reaching $815,000, the projections for 2022 were estimated at $1 million, with a 25% profit. The Sharks seemed impressed. However, Kheedim revealed that online sales were almost zero, and he hadn't paid himself a salary. As the Sharks made their decisions, none felt confident in investing. Kevin O'Leary was out due to the public's uncertainty about trying the product, Mark Cuban believed the company struggled to give others responsibility, and Kendra Scott wasn't "a kimchi person." 

John was the only Shark to entertain the idea of investing. Myung Oh made a last stand, asking for guidance and investment, but it wasn't enough, and the pair was left without a deal.

Although Mama O's Premium Kimchi didn't win the hearts of any Sharks, it has stayed in business and continues to flourish. And fans were disappointed by the Sharks' decision. As Twitter user @end_table wrote, "I'm still shocked that there are 'not kimchi people' in this world. How do you eat Korean BBQ?" And @ryanbatholomee shared positive words for the company, writing, "I was hoping @MamaOsKimchi would get a deal! May you continue to grow and succeed!"

Bella Hadid also took to Instagram Stories to express her disappointment, writing: "Hard work and dedication ... passion and culture!!! THIS is what it is all about!!! I think the Sharks made a mistake!!!" 

But when one door closes, another opens. After Mama O's appearance on "Shark Tank," the kimchi line experienced a bump in sales, with a netted four months of sales in seven days.

Mama O's continues to expand nationwide. Mama O's announced in July that its products were available in Louisiana Canseco's Markets. The kimchi has also been spotted on Texas' Central Market shelves, at Albertsons in Arizona, and at Spruce Market in Philadelphia. Edex Provisions has also added the kimchi packets to its grab-and-go section.

Kheedim Oh was a panelist during the 2022 Korean Fermented Food Forum in Washington, D.C. He discussed the growth of American-made kimchi companies, where only a few existed 20 years ago. Now, "there's like a new kimchi company every day," he said at the event. Mama O's also set up a stand where fans could make kimchi at Expo West 2023 in California. 

Most recently, in July, Mama O's ran the 11th installment of Kimchipalooza in Brooklyn, which involved a super-spicy kimchi eating contest and free kimchi burgers for the first 50 people to RSVP.

Mama O's has done several recipe reels in collaboration with @joeycooksfood on Instagram; these have been inventive and intriguing recipes, including caramelized kimchi and roe pasta, kimchi ceviche, and kimchi hash. How about trying out Mama O's kimchi in a tuna salad? Refreshing and crunchy. 

Fans are also asking for the kimchi to appear on market shelves near them. When Instagram commenter @dreamnationlove asked if it will appear in Sprouts Farmers Market, Mama O's replied, with "working on it!!!!"

Additionally, in an interview with The Fermentation Association in 2020, when asked what the plans for Mama O's might be, Kheedim Oh answered that he wanted more partnerships with restaurants and to "ultimately ... change how Americans eat". With the rise of fermented foods, Kheedim spoke of different probiotics in fermented foods and the importance of education surrounding it. The global kimchi market is expected to grow exponentially by $2.39 billion between 2020-2024. If these projections are accurate, Mama O's Premium Kimchi should be ready for a fermentation storm.