Cousins, Chas Smith and Nikita Salmon bring their product, SAP! Into Shark Tank hoping for a deal. The pair is eighth generation tree farmers from Vermont who produce Maple and Birch sap. They have been drinking Maple and Birch Water for years, so they turned it into a business to share their drink with the rest of the world.
SAP! Is a Whole Foods Top 10 Trend!
SAP! is in Whole Foods 2018 Top 10 Food Trends. The drink made from 100% pure Maple and Birch sap, right of the trees in Vermont. The drinks are healthy alternatives to sugary drinks, are gluten-free, with only 80 calories and contain electrolytes. Chas & Nikita's beverage works excellently as a cocktail
Season: 9 Episode 919
First Run: 2018/1/28
Shark: Robert Herjavec, Barbara Corcoran, Mark Cuban, Lori Greiner, Rohan Oza
Company: SAP!
Entrepreneurs: Chas Smith, Nikita Salmon
Deal: Offer for sureand smoothie mixer.
The Maple and Birch water comes from tens of thousands of trees tapped for Maple and Birch sap that comes out like water during the spring. The process concentrates the tree sap to bring out more nutrients and flavors. The thirty-something cousins produce soda and seltzer water with their harvests. I would love to try the birch soda which claims to have more of a raspberry taste.
The US Department of Agriculture gave Chas & Nikita a $50,000 grant to start the making the drink. First-year sales are $300,000 with a projection of 1 million dollars for the next year. They put their profits right back into their company so that they can continue to grow the marketplace.
SAP! Maple and Birch Water Investment
Chas and Nikita raised capital initially through equity and debt investment tools available to local businesses in Vermont. It is unknown how much equity outside shareholders have in the company, but apparently, this does not concern the Sharks as the company get's an offer and likely a deal on Shark Tank. The question is, who makes the offer? Is this a joint investment from the Sharks? We know that Chas and Nikita talk over the deal outside the Sharks chambers, so we have to wonder, does the deal change when they come back in to announce their decision? Look for Mark Cuban and Rohan Oza to have their hands in this deal.
SAP! Maple and Birch Water is available on Amazon