The Qi Tea Shark Tank Update — Shark Tank Season 17
From blooming teas to blooming success, The Qi tea continues to charm tea lovers with its floral rituals and wellness mission after its Shark Tank debut.
Lisa Li stormed the stage of “Shark Tank Season 17 Episode 5” with a jaw-dropping product, the tea made from the exquisite beauty of flowers. She presented her brand, The Qi, which means life energy, as it is a daily ritual in everyone’s daily routine.
Now the question that lingered was, would the Sharks take a chance on her flower-powered tea brand?
About The Qi Tea
| Category | Details |
| Business Name | The Qi Tea |
| Founders | Lisa Li |
| Industry | Beverages |
| Product | A unique flower tea |
| Investment Asked | $200,000 for 8% equity |
| Deal Status | Deal secured with Daymond John |
| Deal Outcome | $200,000 for 20% equity |
| Valuation | $2.5 million |
Lisa Li commenced the brand, The Qi. She grew up in Beijing with her grandma, and tea was part of her daily ritual.
After working in the fashion industry for 10 years, she felt burnt out. Later, Lisa was diagnosed with thyroid issues and cured herself through acupuncture and herbal remedies.
In 2018, she visited Shangri-La, Yunnan, and saw locals enjoying rose tea. That’s when she realized what was missing in the modern world. Unlike any regular tea bag, The Qi offers nature’s most powerful remedies, flowers, in a daily tea ritual.
Her brand works directly with family-owned small farms in Asia. These flowers are naturally soothing, have zero calories, and are rich in antioxidants. Currently, the brand offers a variety of flower teas, which taste different.
Now, let’s have a closer look at her Shark Tank pitch.
The Qi Tea Shark Tank Pitch
Lisa Li entered the Tank asking for $200,000 in exchange for 8% equity in the brand. She gave a beautiful, flowery presentation, asking Sharks to try the three different flavors: Shangri-La rose, blue lotus tea, and royal.
She shared a quick recipe with the Sharks: if they pour honey into the blue tea, it will turn purple, creating a surprising moment on the show.
Kevin O’Leary wanted to know the production and selling costs. The Qi’s bestselling product was a variety box, consisting of three different flavors. The retail price of the variety box was $36, and the landing cost was $7.
Lori Greiner showed interest in her pitch, asking about how many cups of tea a variety box can serve. Lisa took this opportunity to share that it contains nine flowers, which equals 27 cups.
Lisa mentioned her lifetime sales, which stood at $2.9 million. In the year 2024, she sold $616,000, and she has projected the sales to cross $1 million by the end of 2025.
She stated that currently she sells direct-to-consumer, wholesale, and also in hospitality. Even though her branding, presentation, and numbers were impressive, Sharks knew that there were other flower tea brands in the market.
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What Makes The Qi Tea Unique?
There are a number of reasons why The Qi Tea is unique. Let’s have a look at some of those.
- Flowery Wellness: The Qi focuses on making whole flower teas with zero calories and richness in antioxidants. It promotes healing, inner calmness, and beauty.
- A Sensory Tea Ritual: Unlike any other tea bag, The Qi creates an engaging experience. Further, building a moment of Zen through aroma, color, and taste, engaging all the senses.
- Sustainably Handpicked: Every flower is organically grown, hand-harvested, and sustainably cultivated by small family-owned farms across Asia.
Did The Qi Tea Get a Deal on Shark Tank?
Allison Ellsworth asked about her team, and Lisa said that she is the only full-time person, along with a part-time person who takes care of marketing.
Lori Greiner also decided to bow out of the deal negotiations, as the market is very niche. She appreciated her sales numbers, which were almost $3 million. Mr. Wonderful also refused to make an offer, as he is of the opinion that the business is not investable yet.
Robert Herjavec shared the same opinion as Kevin O’Leary, and he mentioned that he can help with large-scale distribution. However, the product was not ready for it due to its niche market. Thus, he too bowed out of the deal.
Allison Ellsworth also did not participate in the deal negotiations. However, Daymond John related her story and how she overcame thyroid issues, so he made an offer of $200,000 for 25% equity in the company.
In the beginning, she countered with $300K for 20% equity, but Daymond made it clear that there was a high chance that he might lose the money.
Lisa secured a deal with Daymond of $200,000 for 20% equity in the brand.
The major reasons why most of the Sharks declined to make an offer and were skeptical were that the market was very niche and brutally competitive.
The Qi Tea Shark Tank Update
The Blooming tea, which is produced by the brand The Qi, gained traction and visibility after episode 5 of Shark Tank Season 17 aired on 5th November 2025. Currently, the brand lists a ‘Shark Tank Special’ set of tea on its website, further leveraging its TV appearance.
Where Can You Buy It?
You can purchase the variety box and other flavored flower tea sets from their official website. Moreover, you can also check their Instagram page for more updates.
Quick Summary
- Lisa Li entered the Tank seeking $200,000 in exchange for 8% equity. She pitched her brand, The Qi, which is a flower tea brand, to amalgamate the beauty of flowers in daily routines.
- She offers different flavors, including Shangri-La rose, blue lotus tea, and royal chrysanthemum.
- Despite the amazing pitch and branding, most of the Sharks refused to make an offer, as the market was very competitive. However, she secured a deal with Daymond John of $200,000 for 20% equity.
