Where Is Ora Organic's Plant Based Supplements From Shark Tank Season 8 Today?
On season 8 of "Shark Tank," entrepreneurs Will Smelko and Ronald Chang didn't just give a verbal pitch for their product, Ora Organic plant-based supplements. Rather, they put on a whole show for the judges, complete with props galore.
The entrepreneurs wanted to give viewers a more vivid picture of where many popular supplement ingredients actually come from. Using a large cooking pot, they proceeded to dump in a variety of shocking ingredients, including syringes and juices squeezed from a plush fish toy, to represent how protein is boosted with synthetic growth hormones and omega-3 fatty acids are sourced from fish guts (via Gazette Review). The grand finale, however, was when Smelko showed off his pet cat dressed in a pair of plastic lamb ears to symbolize how vitamin D, another popular supplement ingredient, actually comes from sheep oil gland secretions. Yikes!
In search of a $375,000 investment in exchange for 5% equity, the entrepreneurs explained that they had developed a line of supplements completely void of chemicals. Instead, Ora Organic was fueled by plant-based ingredients.
What happened to Ora Organic on Shark Tank?
In addition to donning a visual display of their products, Smelko and Chang then offered the judges a taste of the real thing. Coming in a variety of fruity flavors, the entrepreneurs explained that they were presently selling Ora Organic's supplement spray, multivitamin, capsules, and protein powder (via Gazette Review).
One of their product highlights included the fact that the products could be either ingested directly or worked into your favorite meal. Having grown up in the restaurant industry and being a chef himself, Chang shared how he realized that diet was one of the primary factors that led his uncle to have a heart attack in his 50s after they moved from Taiwan to the United States. After meeting Smelko in college, the two of them combined their joint knowledge of business and nutrition to create Ora Organic.
During their pitch, the business partners explained that they had reached an impressive $65,000 a month in sales before selling out in less than a year. However, the sharks had a variety of concerns, including competition, marketing, and what they thought to be an unrealistically high company valuation of $7.5 million. While Kevin O'Leary initially made an offer for an increased stake in the company, the offer was not what Smelko and Chang had been looking for, and they turned down the deal.
Life for Ora Organic after Shark Tank
In the years following their "Shark Tank" premiere, Smelko and Chang continued to build their brand and get the word out about Ora Organic. In 2017, Ronald Chang appeared at the Natural Products Expo West and spoke with IdeateTV about their hopes to soon expand beyond the online selling space and into retail stores. Will Smelko was featured on a handful of podcasts, including a 2018 episode of "Flip the Switch" and an episode of "Success Unfiltered" in 2019 where he discussed the importance of vetting potential investors in order to ensure your company's success.
Presently, Ora Organic is still in business and has significantly expanded its product line. In addition to powders and capsules, they also sell tablets and chewable supplement products that support everything from gut health to vaginal health, nails, hair, hormone balance, sleep, skin, and more (via Ora Organic). All of their products are tested by accredited third-party U.S. laboratories for detection of heavy metals, microbial or pathogen contamination, and potency of ingredients (per Ora Organic). Annually, the company screens for pesticides and allergens, and verifies all supplement information.
What's the latest with Ora Organics?
As they had hoped, the company made its way into retail stores, including nationwide Vitamin Shoppe locations and small businesses (via Ora Organic). They also continue to promote the use of Ora Organic products in the kitchen. Consumers can opt for a personalized nutrition recommendation by filling out the company's 1-minute online quiz or perusing their various recipe listings, where you can find everything from smoothies to desserts, sauces, paleo options, and even Ora Organic's specialty vegan Vegducken Thanksgiving meal recipe (via Ora Organic).
You can also follow the company on TikTok and Instagram to stay updated on limited-time offers and what's next for Ora Organic. In their most recent claim to fame, Ora Organic's So Lean & So Clean Vanilla Plant-Based Protein Powder was featured in a reel posted by Hailey Bieber as one of the primary ingredients included in her husband Justin Bieber's favorite smoothie recipe.