Milk + Brookies
NO DEAL
EPISODE SUMMARY
🕓 Air Date: October 16, 2015
Asking For:
$100,000 for 20%
Investor:
No Deal
Deal:
No Deal
PRODUCT SUMMARY
Milk and Brookies offers a variety of "Brookies," which are brownie/cookie mash-ups, including their signature O.G. (Fudge Brownie and Chocolate-Chip Cookie) and a Build-A-Brookie menu with over 750 combinations.
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Background Story
Jovon English, Naimah Harris, and Marques Brooks from Los Angeles, California, pitched their business, Milk and Brookies, on Shark Tank. The trio, consisting of best friends and roommates, entered the baking world when Jovon’s homemade Brookies became a hit at a holiday party. Encouraged by the positive response, they started selling their unique treats online, aiming initially to cover their cable bill.
The venture organically grew, with the founders juggling full-time jobs in finance, healthcare, and real estate while baking and managing Milk and Brookies. The entrepreneurial journey was driven by necessity, and the trio’s diverse backgrounds contributed to the formation of their Brookie business.
The Product
Milk and Brookies offers a range of Brookie variations, with the signature O.G. being a combination of a fudge brownie and a chocolate chip cookie. The Build-A-Brookie menu allows customers to create their own unique combinations, offering over 750 choices.
The product is available for purchase online through their internet-based platform. Prices range from $14 for six Brookies without nuts to $17 for six with nuts. The founders emphasize the freshness of their product, baking everything to order.
How It Went
The company’s position before Shark Tank
As of the pitch, Milk and Brookies had generated $14,000 in sales. The company operated as an internet-based business, with orders collected before 7:00 PM PST and shipped or delivered the following day. The founders, working without employees, mentioned their dedication and operation on limited sleep.
The Sharks expressed concerns about the scalability of offering 750 different configurations and advised streamlining the product line. The founders were selling themselves as the product, and the Sharks saw the venture as more of a hobby than a fully structured business.
The Negotiations:
The Sharks raised concerns about the scalability of Milk and Brookies, emphasizing the challenges of offering 750 different configurations. The founders revealed their cost per Brookie and the online selling prices. While the Sharks admired the product’s taste and the founders’ personalities, they ultimately considered the venture too early in its development.
Each Shark declined to make an offer, citing the need for standardization and a more focused business approach. Despite the rejection, the founders left with positive feedback and encouragement to continue their entrepreneurial journey.
