Where Is Probiotic Maker From Shark Tank Today?
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.
"Shark Tank" has captured viewers' attention for more than a decade by allowing budding entrepreneurs to present their products to a team of investors, AKA the sharks, with the hopes of securing a deal. While there are a number of pitches that result in deals made, there are also plenty of business owners who walk out empty-handed — but that doesn't always mean their business fails.
Merrick Maxfield appeared on the show in 2021 during its 12th season to promote what he called the Probiotic Maker. His product essentially allowed consumers to turn milk into probiotic yogurt right inside of its container by heating it and adding probiotics. Initially, he pitched the sharks a $150,000 investment for 7% of his company. However, between having sold only 5,000 units and worrying the product was too complicated for consumers, none of the sharks were interested and nobody made an offer.
Ultimately, Maxfield walked away without a deal — where does his business stand today?
The Probiotic Maker is still on the market
Although Maxfield walked away without securing a deal from the sharks, his business is still up and running, according to its website. Today, the maker itself retails for $100, with the probiotic packets sold in packs of three and six. The three-pack costs $13, while the six-pack costs $20. The website only sells those three products, though Maxfield does have a section that offers milk alternatives to create the probiotic-packed yogurt that people can purchase on their own.
While the product is still for sale, there is little information about its current state online and whether it's been more or less successful since appearing on the show. The product was covered by Entrepreneur back in 2021, but it hasn't seemed to garner substantial media attention since its appearance. To date, Probiotic Maker's Instagram account has fewer than 500 followers and hasn't yet published a post in 2023.
Probiotic Maker's reviews are generally positive
The product is available on Amazon as well as the Probiotic Maker's website, and while it only has just over 20 Amazon ratings, the reviews have been overall positive; it has a 4.3 average rating out of five. One person wrote that the product "was fantastic" and that the business owner was "very helpful" with questions. A less-positive review noted that the temperature didn't reach where it needed to be for true yogurt, but many reviewers said they would recommend the product. "One reviewer exclaims, "This is a wonderful product ... It is delicious plain and great with fruit. You will not regret this purchase!"
Despite little information online, Maxfield does appear to still be the company's owner. According to his LinkedIn, he has been the company's president since 2016. As of 2023, it does not look like Maxfield has added to his product line or created any new models of the Probiotic Maker.