Llama Brew Fertilizer Update | Shark Tank Season 1

The Loughs started a petting zoo with goats but needed a new solution after mountain lions attacked their herd. Their love for llamas and interest in organic solutions led them to create Llama Brew, a natural fertilizer. Hoping to turn their passion into a successful business, will they earn a deal on Shark Tank Season 1? Find out in our Llama Brew update and pitch recap!

If you’re short on time, here’s a quick overview of what happened to Llama Brew after Shark Tank.

Aida and Phillip Lough pitched Llama Brew on Shark Tank. They asked for $125,000 in exchange for 10% equity. Unfortunately, none of the sharks saw a good investment opportunity, and they left the show without a deal.

In terms of a Llama Brew update, the company is still in business but with a new target audience. They’ve found success by catering to licensed marijuana growers in Oregon. It has become a popular fertilizer choice and generates around  $1 million in annual sales.

Shark	Result
Kevin Harrington	No offer
Kevin O’Leary	No offer
Daymond John	No offer
Robert Herjavec	No offer
Barbara Corcoran	No offer

Shark Tank Llama Brew Pitch

• Entrepreneurs: Aida Camwich-Lough and Phillip Lough
• Business: Fertilizer made with llama waste
• Ask: $125,000 for 10% stake
• Result: No deal
• Shark: None

Married business partners Aida and Phillip entered the Shark Tank Season 1 with the hopes of securing investment for their unique product, Llama Brew. 

Llama Brew is a natural fertilizer, and the couple aimed to impress the sharks with its effectiveness. 

To do this, they brought a near-dead potted plant. Using Llama Brew, they explained that it has the potency to revive a seemingly dead plant. Aida and Phillip claimed their Llama Brew revived the near-dead plant to a lush, green state. 

They further emphasized their commitment to eco-friendly processes by highlighting that they collect and process the llama manure themselves. This not only ensures quality control but also minimizes waste by using recycled containers for their fertilizer. 

After showing how their fertilizer revived a plant, Aida and Phillip explained that their business’s key selling point was its environmental friendliness. 

The sharks seemed interested in this eco-friendly approach. But then Daymond John asked about their sales figures thus far. Unfortunately, sales haven’t been impressive, as they have earned only $4,000. 

Not giving up, the couple shared one last detail, hoping to grab the sharks’ attention. They revealed they have a provisional patent on the process of turning llama poo into liquid gold. 

Robert Herjavec raised a critical point, citing that convincing people to buy their eco-friendly fertilizer would cost a lot of money for advertising and promotion. 

Upon learning this, Daymond John said he wasn’t interested and dropped out of the deal. 

Kevin O’Leary pointed out that their asking price was too high, considering their low sales figures of only $4,000. He felt it did not justify their asking price.

He went on to explain that they seemed to misunderstand the balance between the risk of investing and the potential reward. For these reasons, he’s out of the deal. 

Kevin Harrington and Barbara Corcoran agreed with Mr. Wonderful’s assessment and exited the deal as well. 

Robert Herjavec asked how much a llama costs. Aida said between $5,000 and $20,000. In response, Robert said he might buy one for his kids but not invest in their business. Citing the concerns of his fellow sharks, he exited the deal, too.

Aida and Phillip were left with no offer as the sharks did not find their business worth an investment. Do you think this stopped them? Keep reading our Llama Brew update to see what happens next.

Shark Tank Llama Brew Update

Although they didn’t land a deal on Shark Tank, Aida and Phillip continued running their business. However, things took a turn for Llama Brew in 2014. 

Neighbors living near their property started complaining about the strong smell caused by the large number of llamas needed to produce the fertilizer. 

These complaints escalated to legal issues with the local town officials. Unfortunately, after facing mounting pressure from the community and legal battles, the Loughs were forced to shut down their Llama Brew business. 

During this time, the Llama Brew website was still active, but orders were closed for nearly two years. They decided to move to Oregon, a state where growing cannabis is legal. 

In Oregon, they discovered a new use for Llama Brew. Because it’s made from natural ingredients, it turned out to be a good fertilizer for cannabis plants. This appealed to licensed marijuana growers who wanted to use eco-friendly products. 

Our Llama Brew update found that the cannabis industry brought the Loughs back to the business of using llama manure. But this time, they were selling to a new customer base – marijuana growers. 

So despite some road bumps, the company is still in business and reportedly had annual sales of $1 million in 2021.

We are so happy to report a positive Llama Brew update so many years later.

Follow the links below to read more about the other companies that appeared in Season 1, Episode 14. 

• Send a Ball Update
• Qubits Update
• Pillars of Slippers Update
• Nubrella Update

For even more on companies and products, be sure to stop by our Season 1 Products Page!