In 2020, Ehime Eigbe launched the award-winning frozen greek yogurt brand Sweetkiwi after her own personal struggle with uterine fibroids, according to a press release shared with AfroTech.
The post Nigerian-American Founder Scores $250K Deal On ‘Shark Tank’ For Her $2.4M Frozen Yogurt Startup appeared first on AfroTech.
“All disease starts in the gut so at Sweetkiwi we continue to work purposefully in our mission to utilize the nutritional power of food to create healthier guts, good health, and wellness,” said Eigbe in the release.
The Nigerian-American founder was told that she would need surgery for her uterine fibroids at age 22. However, instead, she requested a one-year timeline from her doctor to try and find an alternative, holistic solution.
It was then that she began a strict diet, but since she still craved sweet treats, Eigbe got to work in her own kitchen, and the rest is history.
After indulging in the delicious desserts that she concocted at home, friends and co-workers encouraged Eigbe to share her healthy dessert alternative with more people who may be experiencing something similar.
“It’s made from real milk sourced from smallholder family-owned farms, and each pint boasts 22 grams of protein, prebiotic fiber, gut-healthy probiotics, and a unique blend of immunity-boosting superfoods, all of which are better together,” said Eigbe and her husband and business partner, Michael Akindele, according to CNBC Make It.
Those details alone seemed enough to draw interest from shark Robert Herjavec.
“I don’t have a lot of investment in this space, but I love this space and I want to learn,” Herjavec said on “Shark Tank.” “There are no two better people that I’m going to put my money into than the two of you.”
He put his money where his mouth is and Sweetkiwi managed to ink a deal on the “Shark Tank” episode, landing $250,000 for a 16% stake in the company thanks to Herjavec.
According to CNBC Make It, Eigbe’s company, which has now launched in the U.S., is worth an estimated $2.4 million.
The delicious dessert can be found online via the company’s website and in select Whole Foods Markets, Krogers, Ralphs, and more.
