Update- 6/10/2015 By Lauren R.D. Fox:
CBS News reports, Whole Foods Market has taken notice of Mikaila Ulmer, owner and founder of BeeSweet Lemonade!
Because of her charitable and conscious effort to save honeybees from pesticide, Whole Foods plans to become a distributor of her profitable lemonade. Erin Harper, a corporate employee from Whole Foods shared this about working with Mikaila:
“She’s asking questions about logistics, what retail prices should be, or margins. She’s incredibly sharp.”
BeeSweet Lemonade plans to introduce two new flavors this summer and sell 140,000 bottles or more of its in demand drinks by the end of the year. To help Mikaila reach beyond her goal, click here to see where BeeSweet Lemonade is being sold at a store near you.
Original Report- 3/27/2015 By Ann Brown:
Talk about a businesswoman in the making. Not only did 10-year-old Mikaila Ulmer start her own business, but she just got a $60,000 investment for it from Shark Tank.
The kidpreneur is the founder of her BeeSweet Lemonade line. Even more, she did her business pitch on national TV in front of the intimidating Shark Tank judges on March 20 with all the confidence of seasoned businesswoman. So impressed was Shark Tank judge Daymond John, CEO of FUBU, that he offered to invest $60,000. John will also be getting a 25 percent stake of BeeSweet.
“Partnering with Mikaila made perfect sense. She’s a great kid with a head for business and branding. She’s got a great idea and I’m happy to help take BeeSweet to the next level,” said John.
There’s a unique story behind how Ulmer launched her company. After she had been stung by two bees when she was four, she became fascinated with them. According to Ulmer, she learned about how pollination from bees are vital to plants reproducing in the ecosystem. And now that bees are suffering from a “still-unsolved malady” called Colony Collapse Disorder, she wanted to help them. She does so through BeeSweet.
Looking at a 1940s cookbook her great Granny Helen sent to her, Ulmer found Helen’s flaxseed lemonade recipe. Ulmer started using the recipe but added pure honey directly from local bees instead of using sugar. Ulmer has gained a following as her lemonade line is available in various Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana Whole Foods. You can also buy directly from BeeSweet’s website.
Ulmer donates a portion of BeeSweet proceeds to organizations that support the lives of bees. And by helping the bees, she’s helping all of us. Without the work of bees, humans struggle to produce food.
We’re obsessed with her in the MN office. Check out her video below.
