Sip Herbals Shark Tank Update – Shark Tank Season 15
Sip Herbals appeared on Shark Tank Season 15. The founder pitched her product, a coffee alternative. She walked away without a deal.
Orleatha Smith pitches Sip Herbals, her caffeine-free faux coffee business, in Shark Tank Season 15 Episode 22, the Season 15 Finale.
About Sip Herbals
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Business Name | Sip Herbals |
| Founder | Orleatha Smith |
| Industry | Food and Beverages |
| Product | Alternative for Coffee |
| Deal Status | No Deal |
| Investment Asked | $100,000 for 10% equity |
Check out other Shark Tank Season 15 Episodes.
Orleatha Smith and her partner, Kelly Raulerson (not in the Tank), founded the business in December 2020. Both women have entrepreneurial backgrounds and founded another business together before founding Sip. Their product is a coffee replacement they call “faux Joe.”
Both women enjoy the ritual of a hot cup of coffee or tea in the morning, but the caffeine often makes them jittery. They wanted to create a beverage with the richness of coffee without the harmful effects of caffeine. What they came up with is a mixture of organic dandelion, organic chicory and organic carob that you brew like coffee or loose leaf tea. It has the richness they were looking for.
Those three ingredients are in the original Faux Joe flavor they sell. There are other flavors with additional flavors and (organic) ingredients. These include: Dirty Chai, Royal Mocha, French Vanilla, Salted Maple Blondie, and Cinnamon Roll. They also sell in sample packs, a coconut creamer, and some brewing accessories.
A 1-ounce packet with 6 servings costs $10, and a 6-ounce packet with 30 servings costs $24.99. They offer a 10% discount if you subscribe. They likely want a Shark to help them get into national chains.
Video
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Orleatha enters the Shark Tank seeking $100,000 for 10% of her company. She explains that she used to suffer from anxiety, jitters, and tummy troubles every single day. The culprit was coffee. She wasn’t ready to give up her morning coffee ritual, but she’s allergic to everything and has to read every food label carefully. She says artificial vanilla flavoring contains beaver butt!
That’s why she created Sip Herbals, a gut-supporting, caffeine-free, herbal coffee substitute made for label readers like her. It’s a prebiotic tea made with whole food ingredients. Each “Faux Joe” cup contains chicory root for gut support, dandelion root for liver support, and roasted carob for “that smooth sweet taste without any of the waste.” It steeps like tea, but it feels like coffee, so you get that full mouth flavor and all the coffee house flavors you love.
Samples and Questions
Kevin wants to know more about the Beaver butt. Orleatha tells him manufacturers don’t have to disclose what’s in natural flavors. The “beaver butt” ingredient is from thwe anal castoreum gland in the beaver. The Sharks sample their tea: the signature roast, salted maple blondie, and dirty chai.
The Sharks like their tea. Orleatha knows about chicory because chicory coffee was “a thing” from her home in Louisiana. As a former biology teacher, she learned about the herbs as well.
Kevin wants to know the size of the Market, and Orleatha tells him 20% of Americans can’t tolerate coffee. Candace says she’s one of those people who won’t give up her morning coffee no matter what it does to her. Orleatha says she used to be that way, but she has an autoimmune disease that coffee exacerbates.
As a child, she had eczema so bad that she spent a month at the Mayo Clinic getting treatment. Rather than giving her steroids, Orleatha’s mother took a holistic approach with clean eating, and Orleatha grew up understanding the power of food.
Let’s Talk Numbers
Sales for this year (2023) are on track to do $250,000. The cost for 1 bag of tea is $3.44, and they sell for $19-$24. Her vision is to give coffee-sensitive people a sense of normalcy. They just got on the shelves at Lazy Acres Markets and New Leaf Markets. The packaging results from a recent rebranding to explain the product as a tea. Lori says she should put the phrase “the tea that feels like coffee” at the top of the package.
Did Sip Herbals Get a Deal on Shark Tank?
Lori thinks the tea tastes great. She’ll be a customer, but she doesn’t think Orleatha is there yet as an investment; she’s out. Daymond believes it’s a great business for Orleatha, but he doesn’t think she needs an investor; he’s out. Mark thinks she has a great opportunity to grow the business; he’s out.
Candace says she’s a die-hard coffee drinker and needs to be a cheerleader for companies she invests in; she’s out. It’s too niche for Kevin; he doesn’t think he can realize a 10X return; he’s out.
Sip Herbals Shark Tank Update
The Shark Tank Blog constantly provides updates and follow-ups about entrepreneurs who have appeared on the Shark Tank TV show. Although Sip Herbals didn’t land a deal, the founder’s pitch made quite an impression.
Since the episode aired, the company has continued to grow steadily. The brand received a wave of attention after the show, especially from people looking to cut down on caffeine due to anxiety, gut issues, or autoimmune conditions. Their signature product, “Faux Joe,” and other flavors like Dirty Chai and Cinnamon Roll gained traction for delivering that comforting coffee-house vibe without the caffeine crash.
They have focused on direct-to-consumer sales through their website and Amazon, offering subscriptions, sampler packs, and even coconut creamer options. They’re also on the shelves of several natural food stores like Lazy Acres and New Leaf Markets, and continue expanding regionally.
Orleatha and her team also worked on new branding and packaging, making it easier for customers to understand that it’s a tea that feels like coffee.
As of January 2024, the estimated net worth of Sip Herbals is $1 million, and its annual revenue is $250K. As of 2025, the company is valued between $300K and $500K. While it may still be small, it has carved out a loyal niche audience.
Though no Shark joined the journey, Orleatha has clearly proven she doesn’t need one to build a strong and meaningful brand.
Where Can You Buy It?
The products of Sip Herbals are available on the company’s official website, on the shelves at a dozen or so mom-and-pop markets, and on Amazon. Check out their social media pages, like Facebook and Instagram, for more updates.
Quick Summary
- Orleatha Smith pitched Sip Herbals, a caffeine-free coffee alternative made from dandelion, chicory, and carob, seeking $100,000 for 10% equity in the Shark Tank Season 15 Finale.
- While the Sharks liked the taste, none invested, citing niche market appeal and scale challenges.
- Despite not getting a deal, Sip Herbals gained visibility, rebranded its packaging, and expanded retail presence in select specialty markets.
Check out the updates of other businesses that appeared on Shark Tank Season 15 Episode 22.
