Nourish + Bloom Market Update | Shark Tank Season 15
Entrepreneurs Jamie and Jilea Hemmings pitched their grocery store concept during
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick overview of what happened to Nourish + Bloom Market after
Jamie and Jilea Hemmings appeared on
| Shark: | Result: |
| Mark Cuban | No offer |
| Kevin O’Leary | No offer |
| Lori Greiner | No offer |
| Barbara Corcoran | No offer |
| Jason Blum | No offer |
Shark Tank Nourish + Bloom Market Update
- Entrepreneurs: Jamie and Jilea Hemmings
- Business: Autonomous grocery store
- Ask: $400,000 for 5% equity
- Result: No deal
- Shark: None
The husband-and-wife duo Jamie and Jilea want to help Americans who live in food deserts eat healthier food. Because 1 in 8 people don’t have access to fresh and healthy food, they created their company, Nourish + Bloom Market.
The couple is on a mission to build micro markets in food-scarce places. This will give new access to fresh ingredients and food that wasn’t easily available before.
They already have a flagship store up and running, and it may surprise you to learn just how it runs. Before entering the market, you use an app to scan a QR code, and then you are given access to begin shopping.
With the help of AI, the checkout process is unlike anything else. Additionally, the overhead cost is kept to a minimum, and it only takes 1 person to run a location.
Nourish + Bloom Market has its flagship store in Georgia and works with a distributor to keep it stocked with fresh, healthy food.
Barbara Corcoran asks for a little more information about the process. Jamie explains that customers download their app and submit their payment information. Then, to shop, they scan their code before entering. After that, they pick up any items they want, and their AI system automatically bills them for the groceries. As they walk out, they can check the receipt on their phone to make sure there are no mistakes.
In terms of their flagship store, they built it in 2022 for $1.5 million. Lifetime sales so far are $800,000, however they are not yet profitable.
In the month prior to filming, they had $22,000 in sales. Looking ahead, the couple plans to expand with micro markets which can be built in a variety of models.
For instance, building a container store would cost them $400,000. They also have a smart vending machine and a satellite store that could be placed in a hotel.
In terms of profitability, they anticipate that the container store model will bring in the most profit for them at 25% margins.
Lori likes to partner with entrepreneurs when she can actually help them. However, she doesn’t know anything about this business, so she’s out.
Barbara feels similar to Lori and is unclear about what she would invest in. For these reasons, she is also out.
Mark Cuban wants to know how much the couple has raised. Jilea shares that they raised $440,000 from friends and family and have an SBA loan for $875,000. Further, they have a couple of convertible notes totaling $250,000.
Guest shark Jason Blum is confused by Nourish + Bloom Market’s messaging. He also thinks that the company may be taking on too much too quickly, so he goes out next.
Given the technology, Kevin O’Leary thinks there would be too many problems to deal with. He is out, too.
Mark says that the business isn’t investable for him, mostly because of the finances involved. For this reason, he’s out.
However, before the couple walks out, Mark promises that if they come to Texas, he will introduce them to all of the right people.
Keep reading our Nourish + Bloom Market to find out what happened following
We were able to speak with Jilea for an exclusive Nourish + Bloom update to find out what’s been going on since
Regarding the pitch, Jilea shared that if she could go back, she would have shown a demo of how the AI Fridge works to better illustrate the technology behind the concept. Regardless, Jilea told us she was thankful for the “opportunity to share our passion and vision with millions of viewers and receive valuable feedback from the sharks.”
Looking ahead to a future Nourish + Bloom update, Jilea and Jamie are set to open three new stores in Atlanta, Georgia, in 2024. Further, Jilea told us that they have also received “tremendous interest from cities across the country eager to welcome a Nourish + Bloom Market.”
More information about upcoming locations can be found on the Nourish + Bloom Market website.
The future looks bright for Jamie and Jilea, and we cannot wait to check back in for another Nourish + Bloom update!
Before you go, you can check out our other company updates from Season 15, Episode 18 by following the links below!
For even more on companies and products, be sure to stop by our Season 15 Products Page before you go!
Andrew Smith is the founder and owner of Shark Tank Recap. He is a longtime Shark Tank fan that has been watching it for years and has seen every episode multiple times. His friends know him as the Shark Tank expert, because he can answer any question about the show! His favorite Shark Tank products are Bertello's pizza oven and Bug Bite Thing!