Milkify Breastmilk Service Update | Shark Tank Season 14
Dr. Berkeley Luck came up with the idea for Milkify while working in microbiome research and seeing how nursing mothers struggled with storing breast milk. Freezing milk was messy and took up too much space, creating a frustrating experience for families. In 2019, she and her husband Pedro Silva started a freeze-drying service to make breast milk easier to store and use. Let’s see if their company can secure a deal in our Milkify update and pitch recap.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick overview of what happened to Milkify after
Pedro and Berkeley entered
In terms of a Milkify update, the company expanded its visibility by appearing on ABC13 in Houston to discuss the impact of
| Shark | Result |
| Lori Greiner and Gwyneth Paltrow | Accepted offer of $400,000 for 20% equity on a three-year convertible note |
| Kevin O’Leary | No offer |
| Barbara Corcoran | No offer |
| Mark Cuban | No offer |
Shark Tank Milkify Pitch
- Entrepreneurs: Pedro Silva and Dr. Berkeley Luck
- Business: Service that freeze-dries breastmilkÂ
- Ask: $400,000 for 10% equity
- Result: $400,000 for 20% equity on a three-year convertible note
- Sharks: Lori Greiner and Gwyneth Paltrow
Pedro and Berkeley entered
They sought an investment to help scale their freeze-drying service. This would make it easier for more moms to store breast milk conveniently while preserving its nutrients.
Berkeley explains that many mothers freeze breast milk, but this method has a few problems. It takes up a lot of space, is hard to transport, and doesn’t stay fresh for long.
Milkify is a service that freeze-dries breast milk and preserves its vital nutrients. The process turns the milk into a powder with a shelf life of up to three years.
This hands-free method eliminates the bulkiness and messiness associated with frozen breast milk, making it easier for mothers to store, transport, and access their milk.
To use the service, customers simply request a shipping cooler from Milkify, fill it with lactation bags containing their breast milk, and send it back to the company.
For those living in the Houston area, there’s also the option to drop off the milk directly at the facility.
Once the milk is received, it is freeze-dried and returned to the customer in small, vacuum-sealed pouches.
These pouches are ready for use, and mothers can easily rehydrate the milk by adding water.
To show the sharks how it works, Berkeley offers sample packets, though she points out that these are not real breast milk. Instead, she uses her own breast milk to demonstrate.
The service costs around $1.60 per ounce, with an average order costing about $475 for four to five weeks of milk.
At the time of filming in the summer of 2022, Milkify had $2 million in registered orders and $525,000 in lifetime sales.
They projected a net profit of 20-25% by mid-2023, as they were investing in a new facility. This new space would help them grow, with plans to generate $3 million in revenue for 2023.
However, they were still breaking even due to these investments and had not spent any money on advertising yet.
Mark Cuban drops out, saying the service seems like a luxury that only wealthier people could afford.
Kevin O’Leary agrees and also drops out, while Barbara Cocoran thinks it’s a product for affluent moms and exits as well.
However, Gwyneth Paltrow is still interested. She asks about the market, and Berkeley shares that there are 2 million moms freezing breast milk.
Pedro adds that 60% of their sales come from middle- and lower-income households. Despite this, Gwyneth is still concerned about the company’s high valuation.
Pedro then suggests a debt deal. He asks if Gwyneth and Lori Greiner would be willing to join forces.
After discussing it, the sharks offered $400,000 in exchange for 20% equity, with a loan that would last for three years.
In contrast, Pedro counters with a $100,000 convertible note, meaning if the business does well, they will get their 20% equity. If not, they’ll get paid back. Gwyneth and Lori accept the deal.
With a deal in hand, let’s get a Milkify update to see how Berkeley and Pedro are doing.
Shark Tank Milkify Update
Our Milkify update found that the deal with Gwyneth and Lori closed successfully.
Further, the founders appeared on their local ABC13 affiliate in Houston, discussing their journey and the impact of the show on their business.
Milkify has connected with over 3,000 clients across various U.S. cities.
While specific annual sales figures are not publicly disclosed, the company has reported lifetime sales exceeding $500,000 as of mid-2022.
If we get another Milkify update, we will let you know.
Do you want to learn about the other companies featured in Season 14 Episode 19? Follow the links below for our other company updates from the episode.
Before you go, check out our Shark Tank Season 14 page for more updates.
Jeremy is a regular contributor at Shark Tank recap. He has a ton of passion for the show and enjoys researching information about what all the companies are up to now. His favorite Shark Tank companies are The Cookie Dough Cafe and Kronos Golf!