What Happened To Biem After Shark Tank?
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Since it premiered in 2009, "Shark Tank" has introduced us to some of the best kitchen tools and foods, among plenty of other products. It has become a show on which many entrepreneurs dream of appearing.
While some people have a whole business, others have just one product they're trying to present to a larger market. Often, single products are tough for the judges to buy into, given their limited ability to grow. However, when Doug Foreman made his appearance in 2016 to show off his Biēm butter sprayer, he piqued the judges' interest. He sought $500,000 for a 5% stake in his company.
Foreman pitched his idea to the sharks — a handheld device that could instantly turn cold butter into a sprayable substance by using just heat and air. It could change the game for bakers and avid toast makers.
Lori Greiner loved the idea, as did several other sharks. According to Shark Tank Blog, Greiner ultimately offered Foreman $500,000 for a 14% stake in his company, and the two made a deal. So, where is Biēm now?
Biem found itself in trouble with the Better Business Bureau
After pitching the deal to the sharks, Doug Foreman and Lori Greiner verbally agreed to work together. However, the deal never panned out. According to San Antonio's WOAI-TV, Foreman, who is a Texas native, couldn't strike a deal with Greiner because there were prototype issues.
Biēm still went on the market, but consumers weren't thrilled with the product once they ordered it. Though it was supposed to make cooking with butter even easier, people allegedly waited several months for their orders to arrive, and the product often did not work as described. Some users even took to YouTube comments to discuss their experience with Biēm, with one person writing, "It took over 6 months to receive it, it worked once, 4 months later I am still waiting for their shipping department to send me a return label."
In 2018, WOAI-TV reported the Better Business Bureau received dozens of complaints about the product. Biēm supposedly said it would release a new version of the product that removed the issues with the original device, but the company had not responded to all complaints.
Biem has a new version of its product for sale
Four years after the BBB complaints, it does appear that Biēm has a new device listed on its website. It's referred to as the Biēm Butter Sprayer V2, and it retails for $129. However, both the V2 and the gift set version are currently sold out on the site; it's unclear for how long they've been sold out or if they will be restocked.
Biēm's social media suggests the company is not currently in operation, but Mashed could not verify that. The butter sprayer's Instagram has not shared a post in more than three years, and its Facebook page is no different. It appears that an "open box" version is available on Amazon, but the product can't be purchased new.
Ultimately, Biēm ran into a number of problems after the product appeared on "Shark Tank," between Lori Greiner not making the deal, the complaints from consumers, and the investigation from the BBB. Right now, it doesn't look like the sprayer is available for purchase.