Arber Shark Tank Update – Shark Tank Season 15
Vanessa Dawson appeared on Shark Tank Season 15 with their organic plant care product, Amber. They walked away without a deal.
Vanessa Dawson hopes to snag an investment for Arber, her line of organic plant care products, in Shark Tank Season 15 Episode 22, the Season 15 Finale. Dawson started Arber a few years ago, in April 2021. As a Harvard Business School graduate, her background is in investing and advising. She also currently serves on the National Women’s Business Council, which advises Congress and the President on women’s business issues.
Check out other Shark Tank Season 15 Episodes.
About Arber
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Business Name | Arber |
| Founder | Vanessa Dawson |
| Industry | Agricultural Chemicals |
| Product | Eco-friendly plant care product |
| Deal Status | No Deal |
| Investment Asked | $500,000 for 4% equity |
As for Arber, Vanessa says it’s the only “Organic Biologicals Plant Wellness company.” The products contain 100% organic ingredients and are completely nontoxic. After 70 years of research, it’s become clear that plants fare better in an organic environment. Whether you want to control insects, fungus, or mold, or fertilize your plants, Vanessa has a product for it. She also bundles products in kits for indoor and outdoor gardens.
The products cost $25 per bottle, but they’re concentrated, so you just mix them with either a half gallon or a gallon of water, depending on the application.
Bundles are $84 for the indoor plant kit and $99 for the Organic Holistic Kit, which includes 16 fl oz of each Plant Food, Bio Protectant, Bio Fungicide, Bio Insecticide, a 32 oz Spray Bottle, and a 2 oz Measuring Cup. She has her products in over 4000 independent and small chain garden centers nationwide and on Amazon. She likely wants a Shark’s help getting into big-box retail.
Video
Posts about Arber on Shark Tank Blog
Arber Shark Tank Recap
Vanessa enters the Shark Tank seeking $500,000 for 4% of her company. She tells the Sharks that gardening is one of America’s favorite pastimes. Over 50% of the country has a green thumb or wants one.
Vanessa turned to gardening when she became a mom to relieve her stress, and she began looking at the ingredients in the products she was using on her lawn and garden. She realized the entire category is full of synthetic, toxic chemicals. When her kids and pets were playing in the yard or helping with the garden, they were exposed to these harmful ingredients.
She needed to come up with a solution, so she founded formulations based on science from organic, natural ingredients found in nature. Arber is the world’s first plant wellness system. It’s a line of effective, organic plant care products that can be used on your lawn, vegetables, raised garden beds, and your indoor plants.
Her proprietary products are guaranteed to work equal to or better than common synthetic and organic options on the market. Arber makes lawn and garden care safe, simple, and sustainable. She asks the Sharks who is ready to help consumers grow a better world.
Samples and Questions
The Sharks all have her best-selling holistic plant care kit and a new “plant baby” to care for. As the Sharks unpack their samples, Kevin says, “Is this what’s worth $8 million?” Each bottle in the box ranges from $21 to $25 MSRP. The liquids are highly concentrated, and the kit lasts a year.
What makes it unique is that the strain of bacillus they use in their insecticide isn’t in any other products in the USA. The company is only three years old, and it launched in 3000 Walmart stores when it was just four months old. This year (2023), it got into 1700 Target stores.
Their revenue in 2022 was $2.7 million. In 2023, they’re on track to do $.5-$5 million. They are not profitable yet. Their margins are 50%- 53%. Wholesale to the Wal Marts of the world is $9-$10, and that’s with landed costs of $7-$10. Mark questions the margins and says it’s a rabbit hole, and he’s seen so many entrepreneurs go down just to chase sales.
Did Arber Get a Deal on Shark Tank?
Mark wants to know what sales level gets her to break even. Vanessa answers “$9 million.” She aims to get to $15 million and clear $1.2 million. Mark says her margins aren’t escalating as she’s growing. He likes chasing the bottom line, not the top line; he’s out.
Candace loves the packaging, but the margins and the level of education for consumers are too much; she’s out. Daymond thinks Vannessa is going down many paths, which is fine for her to see what works, but it’s not for him; he’s out. Lori says she loves the products. She’ll be a customer but not an investor; she’s out.
Kevin doesn’t know how he’ll get his money back. When Vannessa says “royalty,” all the Sharks perk up. Vanessa says her goal is to have big box stores account for 50% of the business, with 25% going to smaller stores and direct-to-consumer, respectively.
Kevin offers $500,000 for a $1 per unit royalty that disappears when he recoups $1.5 million for 5% of the company. Vannessa counters with 50 cents per unit, and Kevin says no. Mark says Kevin is the king of insecticides with all the cockroach deals he’s doing. After some agonizing over the terms, Vannessa declines Kevin’s offer.
Arber Shark Tank Update
The Shark Tank Blog constantly provides updates and follow-ups about entrepreneurs who have appeared on the Shark Tank TV show.
Since appearing on the Shark Tank Season 15 finale, Arber has continued to grow steadily, even without securing a deal. Founder Vanessa Dawson didn’t accept Kevin O’Leary’s royalty offer, but the national exposure gave the brand a major boost.
After the episode aired, Arber saw a spike in online interest and sales, especially through Amazon and their official website. The company is now available in over 4,000 stores across the U.S., including major retailers like Walmart and Target, and continues to focus on making plant care safer and more sustainable.
With a strong push in the direct-to-consumer space, Arber is also investing in educating home gardeners about non-toxic, organic solutions. Their unique formulations and beautiful packaging have kept them top-of-mind for eco-conscious shoppers. While profitability is still a goal, the brand’s mission and momentum show that it’s planting deep roots in the gardening world.
As of January 2024, the estimated net worth of Arber is $10 million, and its annual revenue is $4.5 million.
The Shark Tank Blog will follow up on Arber and Vanessa Dawson as more details become available.
Where Can You Buy It?
You can find Arber products on its official website and on Amazon. For more recent updates, check out its social media pages: Facebook and Instagram.
Quick Summary
- Vanessa Dawson pitched Arber, her non-toxic, organic plant care product line, seeking $500K for 4% equity.
- In just three years, she’s been in 4,000+ stores, launched in 3,000 Walmarts in month 4, and hit 1700 Targets in 2023.
- Kevin offered a royalty deal, but Vanessa said nope. Still, the business is booming!
Curious about the other businesses that appeared on Shark Tank Season 15 Episode 22? Check out their business updates!
