Wildwonder, the probiotic sparkling drink brand founded by Rosa Li, was featured in Season 14 of Shark Tank. Rosa introduced her product as a gut health–supporting drink inspired by her grandmother’s herbal remedies. She explained that she wanted to create a beverage like kombucha—good for digestion—but without the sour taste or excess sugar.
Rosa pitched her brand seeking $500,000 for 5% equity to expand production and reach more stores. She highlighted the growing interest in gut health and shared her mission to make it accessible to everyone. “I want to make gut health accessible to everyone, not just a niche market,” Rosa told the sharks.
At the time of filming, Wildwonder was available in over 100 stores, including Whole Foods. Rosa also revealed that her early growth came from bulk orders with major companies such as Google and Facebook, though she later shifted to retail after the pandemic slowed corporate orders.
The sharks sampled the drinks and shared their thoughts. Kevin O’Leary questioned the $10 million valuation, saying, “At five percent, I don’t even get out of bed.” Lori Greiner and Mark Cuban considered the beverage industry too risky, while Barbara Corcoran opted out of investing in another drink brand.
Guest shark Tony Xu, however, showed interest and offered $500,000 for 9% equity. Rosa negotiated the deal to 6% equity and 3% advisory shares, which Tony accepted. The agreement marked Wildwonder’s official Shark Tank deal. Following the partnership, Rosa said, “Having Tony as a partner helped me think bigger about scaling operations.”
Business Growth and Expansion
After the episode aired, Wildwonder’s business grew rapidly. Rosa shared, “What we used to sell in a year, we sold in one month.” The company expanded from regional distribution to over 2,000 stores nationwide, including major retailers such as Sprouts Farmers Market and The Fresh Market.
By 2023, Wildwonder introduced new flavors such as Pineapple Paradise, Raspberry Lychee, and Cherry Lime, expanding its product line to meet customer demand. Each can contains 5 grams of prebiotic fiber, 35 calories, and 90% less sugar than soda.
Wildwonder gained recognition as one of the fastest-growing beverage brands in the United States, ranking 14th in the Pacific Region on Inc. Magazine’s Fast-Growing Companies list. Rosa Li was also featured in Inc.’s Female Founder 250 list for 2024.
Each can costs approximately $0.90 to produce and sells for around $3.49. Additionally, 5% of the company’s profits are donated to organizations supporting women and marginalized communities.
By the end of 2024, Wildwonder products were available in Whole Foods, Target, and Sprouts stores across the U.S., as well as through Amazon and the company’s own website. The brand’s valuation surpassed $8 million, with Rosa Li continuing to develop new flavors and expand production into 2025.
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