Not everyone wants to drink alcohol while socializing with friends. If you are one of these people, Ghia’s alcohol-free drinks might be for you. They claim to capture the spirit of alcoholic drinks without the alcohol. Ghia’s founder, Melanie Masarin, appeared on Shark Tank Season 14 but no deal was struck. As of 2024, Ghia is valued at $35 million.
Melanie Masarin’s Background
Melanie Mazarin grew up in Lyon, France, then moved to Rhode Island to study economics at Brown University before settling in Los Angeles, where she founded Ghia.
The French beauty worked as a financial analyst at Goldman Sachs before moving to American Eagle Outfitters as a corporate strategy assistant. Melanie’s resume also includes senior positions at the DIG restaurant chain and Glossier.
Founding of Ghia
As a child, Melanie’s family enjoyed the Mediterranean aperitif culture in the summer. They would get together with friends, cook and eat until dawn. Of course, alcohol was also indispensable. Melanie wanted to recreate the same atmosphere without the alcohol.
Melanie founded Ghia in November 2019 and raised $480,000 in seed funding from two investors. The company has gained a lot of attention as the sober curious movement has taken off, with people questioning how alcohol affects them.
Additionally, her brand was recognized as the first non-alcoholic beverage to win Esquire’s Drink of the Year Award in 2020. One year later, Ghia’s year-over-year wholesale revenue grew from $10,000 to an impressive $180,000.
Shark Tank Appearance
Melanie pitched with confidence and grace. She handed out samples to the Sharks, and they loved the taste. Ghia’s strong sales performance supports its valuation. In 2021, the company had sales of $2.5 million but lost less than $1 million, which made the Sharks feel painful.
To make matters worse, she has raised $3.5 million and is in the process of raising $6 million at a $41 million valuation. Melanie owns 57% and is selling her equity at a discount to attract the sharks. Sharks don’t like companies to constantly raise money because it’s likely their equity will be diluted in the future.
Robert made an offer that met her requirements perfectly, but Melanie withdrew it because Kevin wanted to hear Melanie’s proposal. Kevin made a greedy offer of $250,000 for 10% of the shares, but Melanie couldn’t accept it because the equity was too high.
After Shark Tank
The national television appearance resulted in a significant increase in orders for the brand. Ghia drinks are available at DrinkGhia.com and in select restaurants, bars and hotels across the U.S. The beverage company forecasts sales of $4.5 million in 2022 and expects revenue to double in 2023.
Thanks to the partnership with Mayple, the drink is now available in over 57 countries! Ghia’s best-selling drink, Apéritif, benefited greatly from Dry January. During the last Dry January, Ghia Berry orders increased by 132%.
Ghia has an average rating of 4.2 stars out of 490 reviews on ThingTesting.com. Some of the company’s celebrity clients include Antoni Porowski and Priyanka Chopra, who love the non-alcoholic drinks.
Currently, Ghia is valued at $35 million based on the last round of financing. If Ghia’s annual sales can reach $20 million, they are likely to be acquired by a large beverage company.
Categories: Shark Tank
Source: svlsf.edu.vn