What Happened To Slate After Shark Tank?
When "Shark Tank" flew onto the scene in 2009, it was unlike other reality shows at the time that were more focused on the drama of interpersonal relationships. Here were real people, owning real businesses, making real deals with millionaire investors right on TV. It helped show viewers just how cutthroat the world of small business ownership can be, and just how hard it can be to expand a product or business from the seed of an idea into a thriving enterprise. It proved to be a winning formula, and the show is still putting out new episodes.
There are some businesses on "Shark Tank" that we never hear from again. Sometimes that's due to a poor presentation, or a business plan that wasn't fleshed out enough; other times, the business proposal and presenter are polished, but the product isn't strong enough to intrigue the "Shark Tank" investors. But other companies from the show have become household names: the Scrub Daddy kitchen tool, Bombas, and Squatty Potty (via Investopedia). Now, one product that actually didn't secure the backing of "Shark Tank" investors is making a name for itself regardless: Slate, a lactose-free ultra-filtered chocolate milk drink that's loaded with protein (each can has 20 grams). Slate appeared on Season 11, Episode 23 of the show, which originally aired in May of 2020 (via Outside The Tank). But a lot has changed for the brand since its "Shark Tank" debut.
Slate changed its recipe before it found success
Unfortunately for Slate, when the company first appeared on "Shark Tank," the investors did not seem impressed — and neither did fans of the show on Reddit. Not only did the Sharks not like the taste of the brand's milk, but they were also unimpressed with the pitch, especially because they were asking for a large investment even though the product had no sales yet (via YouTube). Some Reddit comments about the episode included critiques of the product idea itself, the business name, and the angle of the presentation. Others accused the brand of just trying to get free advertising from their Shark Tank appearance. "One of the worst pitches of all time. No sales, terrible taste, and a $4 mil evaluation," summed up one Redditor.
While it does seem like the brand happily made the most of any publicity it got from appearing on "Shark Tank," including adding an "As Seen on Shark Tank" graphic to its website shortly after the episode aired (via Reddit), the company owners also seemingly took the investors' feedback to heart. The graphic also bore the text "New & Improved Recipe Since Filming," indicating that Slate attempted to make its product more palatable after hearing that the investors found it to be lackluster. The recipe revamp seems to have worked, because you can now find the company's espresso chocolate drink at Costco, and it's not the only Slate product that has made it into stores.
Slate offers new flavors and has expanded
Now, in 2022, Slate has continued to grow. In addition to the brand's espresso chocolate flavor being sold at Costco, customers can order all of the flavors online for shipping (the product is shelf-stable and doesn't need refrigeration). Most recently, according to an Instagram post made on August 15, 2022, the company has two new flavors that are available for sale: Vanilla Latte and French Vanilla. The latte features Slate's ultra-filtered, lactose-free vanilla flavored milk mixed with coffee, while the French Vanilla flavor is the brand's signature ultra-filtered milk with French vanilla flavor added.
A fan on the Instagram post announcing the new products asked if the new flavors were in stores yet, and Slate replied that the two new flavors were in stock at Publix and Harris Teeter. These two grocers cover the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, so not everyone will be able to find the new flavors in a store nearby. But if the brand continues to grow, it might not be long before the dairy curious can find Slate Milk in other stores across the country, too.