Growing up in Lebanon, entrepreneur Mo Hassoun’s grandmother used to make cactus water for him using prickly pear cactus. When he was in Boston and saw prickly pears sitting on a shop’s shelf, he decided that he would try to replicate his grandmother’s recipe, and that is where the idea for Pricklee cactus water came to his mind.
The Pricklee cactus water uses a sustainable plant, prickly pear cactus, to make flavorful cactus water drinks. These drinks are rich in antioxidants and contain half the amount of sugars and calories as regular coconut water.
What Do They Make?
The Pricklee cactus water is available in three delicious fruity flavors. The Wild Strawberry flavor has a strawberry hibiscus flavor. Prickly Pear is an original flavor with hints of watermelon and bubblegum. Mango Ginger is enriched with a characteristic ginger flavor.
What Makes Them Unique?
The Pricklee cactus water has half the calories and sugar of regular coconut water. It is neither carbonated nor does it has stevia. The drinks are made from prickly pear cactus, enriched with vitamin C and antioxidants. It provides hydration to the body and boosts immunity.
Pricklee cactus water is different from regular coconut water in its levels of antioxidants. It contains polyphenols, taurine, and vitamin C.
Are They Still an Active Company?
The Pricklee cactus water is hugely loved by its customers, and the company has received tons of positive feedback on Amazon. The website is up and running and provides a beautiful interface representing the product’s vision and theme.
How Did the Shark Tank Pitch Go?
Entrepreneurs Kun Yank and Mo Hassoun came to Shark Tank seeking $200K in exchange for 5% equity of their business.
They began their pitch by revealing how coconut water is an outdated trend, and their new product, Pricklee, pays an ode to Mother Nature’s natural thirst quencher. Their Pricklee cactus water is the latest trend that will take the place of coconut water in markets.
They went on to explain their drink’s amount of calories and sugar and revealed that it was enriched with vitamin C and antioxidants.
Kevin was impressed that the whole can of Pricklee had just 35 calories, and Yank added that it had just 7 grams of sugar.
The Sharks were impressed by the tropical flavors.
Emma inquired about the competition in the market for cactus water. The pair told them that there were indeed a few companies that were producing cactus water as well.
Kevin remarked that tons of beverage companies made an appearance on the show, but all of them struggled with their product distribution in the market, and the direct-to-consumer shipment was costly due to the weight of the can. He expected they had a lot of sales and had already dealt with these two challenges.
In response to this, Hassoun revealed that they had made $55,000 last month and were going to make $70,000 with their sales in the current month.
They were selling their products at some regional distributors in the Northeast.
Mark asked them about the cost of the product. One can cost them $1 to make, but they worked to bring that value down by managing their packaging dealers and ingredient vendors.
Mark revealed that he was a big coconut water fan, and that was because it provided him with a lot more potassium and electrolytes. He felt that Pricklee cactus water had a very narrow range of nutrition levels.
Lori appreciated their company’s vision but still thought it was too early for her to make any investments. She wished them well and went out.
Mark wasn’t impressed by their pitch, as he mentioned that it was nothing but elaborate claims about its taste, low cost, low calories, and sugar. He thought that the product should be repackaged to focus on its sustainability of the product. For those reasons, he went out as well.
Emma agreed with Mark that their business pitch wasn’t promoting their product’s real purpose, so she went out for that reason.
Barbara invested in a soda company 11 years ago, which was how she lost one of her first investments. She thought that distribution was the biggest challenge a beverage company could face, and she didn’t want to deal with it again. She went out.
Kevin was the last Shark left, and he announced that he hates beverage deals because of the same reasons that Barbara stated. However, he liked the idea of Pricklee cactus water and offered them $200K for 20% equity. It was the only offer he would make, and he didn’t want any negotiation. He would also get them more capital from market distributors.
The pair didn’t want to give up that many shares and countered his offer with $200K for 5% equity and a line of credit. They wanted to bring Kevin on board as an advisor to add value to the company and give his investment back in a few years.
Kevin was reluctant to accept and said he would only go up to 10%. Barbara chimed in and said she would take the 5% offer with a line of credit. Kun Yank and Mo Hassoun immediately sealed the deal with her.
Our Review of Pricklee
Pricklee cactus water differs from coconut water as it offers unique tropical flavors packed in a light and refreshing drink. The drinks are not too sweet and provide hydration, antioxidants, and other nutrients.
Pros of Pricklee
- Low sugar and low calories drink, perfect for hydration on a hot summer day
- Pricklee cactus water is good for speedy recovery after a strenuous workout session
- An excellent option for people who are tired of soda drinks, coconut water, or regular water.
Cons of Pricklee
- Some people find the flavor to be bland and watery
- The drink is a bit expensive compared to similar products on the market.
Who Is Pricklee For?
Pricklee cactus water is a great low-calorie drink for people who like drinks enriched with nutrition and flavor. The cactus water boosts your immunity while promoting good skin health and speedy recovery from workout sessions and other physical activities.
Are There Any Alternatives?
- True Nopal Cactus Water
Our Final Thoughts:
Cactus water is the new coconut water rapidly catching fire as the latest trend. Investing in such a company would be beneficial for both parties, as all of its consumers love the idea of a flavorful low calorie drink.
