The Qi Flower Teas Update | Shark Tank Season 17
While living in New York, Lisa Li was completely worn out from her fashion job and dealing with a thyroid problem that doctors couldn’t solve. It made her think back to the simple flower-tea rituals she shared with her grandma in China, so she created The Qi Flower Tea to bring that same calm and comfort to people who feel stressed and overwhelmed. Now the big question is whether the sharks will invest in this business? Find out in The Qi Flower Tea update and pitch recap.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick overview of what happened to The Qi Flower Tea after
Lisa entered
In terms of The Qi Flower Tea update, the company received a surge of sales shortly after its episode aired. They capitalized on that momentum and introduced various
| Shark | Result |
| Daymond John | Accepted offer of $200,000 for 20% equity |
| Kevin O’Leary | No offer |
| Lori Greiner | No offer |
| Robert Herjavec | No offer |
| Allison Ellsworth | No offer |
Shark Tank The Qi Flower Tea Pitch
- Entrepreneur: Lisa Li
- Business: Healing teas made from flowers
- Ask: $200,000 for 8% equity
- Result: $200,000 for 20% equity
- Shark: Daymond John
Lisa told the sharks she grew up northeast of Beijing, where tea was part of her daily life with her grandmother.
It wasn’t a drink for her. It was a routine that helped people slow down. She said she built her company to bring that same pause back into a busy world.
She explained that The Qi sells ceremonial whole flower teas. The focus is on single flowers, handpicked from small family farms across Asia. Each bloom goes straight into a cup and opens on contact with hot water.
She added that the teas have zero calories, offer natural soothing benefits, and are rich in antioxidants. Customers get a visual and sensory experience without additives or blends.
She walked the sharks through their samples. Daymond John tried his sample and joked about being the classiest shark. Meanwhile, guest shark Allison Ellsworth said hers tasted great.
Lisa then showed them the yuzu honey. When Allison poured it into the blue tea, Robert Herjavec asked if it would really change color. The tea turned purple, and the sharks reacted immediately.
Lori Greiner then asked about medicinal properties. Lisa explained the flowers featured in her best-selling variety box, including royal chrysanthemum, Shangri-La rose, and blue lotus.
Kevin O’Leary asked if she was making health claims. She said she wasn’t, because the flowers had natural benefits established over generations.
Each box sold for $36 and cost $7 landed. Lori followed up by asking how many servings each flower produced. Lisa said each bloom made three cups.
Kevin switched to sales. Lisa told him lifetime revenue was $2.9 million. She made $616,000 the previous year and expected to pass $1 million this year.
Allison asked where the teas were sold. Lisa said most orders came from DTC, but she also supplied spas and hospitality groups. She had just returned from a spa trade show where interest was high.
Kevin pointed out that other flower teas existed. Lisa said she believed The Qi was the only brand specializing in ceremonial-grade whole flowers.
Allison asked about her background. Lisa said she immigrated to the US from China at 14, didn’t speak English, and learned through TV subtitles. She graduated from high school in three years, worked in fashion for a decade, and burned out.
She later developed a thyroid issue and turned to acupuncture and herbal medicine when Western treatment failed. That recovery inspired her to start the company.
However, the sharks are still worried about the niche. Lori backed out. Kevin agreed and said the category was too competitive.
Robert said he didn’t know how he would scale it. Allison admired the packaging but felt the category wasn’t defined well enough for retail. They all went out.
Daymond was the only one left. He related to her story because of his own thyroid cancer experience. He offered $200,000 for 25% equity. Lisa countered at $200,000 for 20%. He refused.
She pushed for 18%. He stayed firm. In the end, Lisa pushed one last time for 20% and Daymond agreed to do the deal. They shook hands as the sharks congratulated her.
Was this the right investment for Lisa at this time? Let’s find out in our Qi Flower Tea update.
Shark Tank The Qi Flower Tea Update
In our The Qi Flower Tea update, we found that shortly after its episode aired, the company received a surge of new orders.
As a result, they introduced new
At the moment, our The Qi Flower Tea update has not confirmed that the deal with Daymond John has officially closed. Though due diligence typically continues behind the scenes after filming for a few months.
However, from what we can see, Lisa has been actively leveraging the
While things are still early, there’s no doubt that the exposure from
For more updates from
Before you go, be sure to check out our list of all the
Marvin Uzor
Marvin Uzor is a content contributor for Shark Tank Recap. He specializes in crafting engaging, well-researched content that delve into the latest Shark Tank stories, keeping readers hooked. He has a soft spot for his favorite Shark Tank companies, Bombas and Doorbot, known for their innovation and impact.