Kimchi is a traditional Korean dish made mostly from fermented vegetables, especially napa cabbage and radishes, often flavored with spices. Many people love it because it’s crunchy, spicy, and packed with flavor. Even though a lot of people enjoy kimchi, finding the really tasty, homemade kind in stores can be hard. Many store versions don’t have the same flavor and quality as the real thing that you might get from a family recipe.
Kheedhim Oh saw this as a challenge. He realized that his mother, known as Mama O, had a fantastic family recipe for kimchi that was much better than what you might find in a store. So, he decided to turn that recipe into a business, calling it “Mama O’s Premium Kimchi.” The goal was simple: to help everyone experience the real homemade taste of kimchi right from their kitchens!
In Season 14 of the TV show Shark Tank, Kheedhim and Mama O went into the tank to pitch their business. They asked for $250,000 in exchange for 10% of their company. They excitedly shared their love for kimchi and their dream to grow their business even more.
Mama O’s Premium Kimchi Net Worth Shark Tank Update 2025
Kheedim was looking for an investment of $250k in exchange for 10% equity in the company. At the time of the episode, he valued his company at $2.5 million. Kheedim did not secure a deal with any of the Sharks. After the show was aired, the company experienced a good boost in exposure. As per my rough estimate, the current net worth of Mama O’s Premium Kimchi in 2025 is around $640k.
Shark(s) name
Offer & Demand
Counteroffer
Accepted?
Kendra Scott
Out
N/A
N/A
Lori Greiner
Out
N/A
N/A
Kevin O’Leary
Out
N/A
N/A
Daymond John
Out
N/A
N/A
Mark Cuban
Out
N/A
N/A
Kheedhim Oh Backstory + Their Initial Pitch
Kheedhim Oh is a young entrepreneur who really loved his mom’s homemade kimchi, a popular Korean dish made from fermented vegetables, especially cabbage. When he noticed that the kimchi sold in stores didn’t taste as good as his mom’s, he saw a chance to start his own business. So, with his mom, who is lovingly called Mama O, he launched a company called Mama O’s Premium Kimchi. Their goal was to share the delicious flavors of their family recipe with people everywhere.
Kheedhim only had $50 to start and didn’t get help from any investors. He put in a lot of effort and made sure to put all the money they made back into the business to help it grow. They offered different products like ready-to-eat kimchi, kimchi paste, and even kits that let customers make their own kimchi at home.
Happy customers quickly showed that there was a market for their tasty and authentic kimchi, landing them deals with well-known stores like Whole Foods and Williams Sonoma.
In a show called Shark Tank, Kheedhim and Mama O showcased their brand and excitement for their business. They even had one of the investors, Daymond John, help make kimchi live on stage! Kheedhim shared important numbers to show how much money they were making. For example, each bag of kimchi cost them $2.65 to produce but sold for $8.99.
Their kits, which helped people make kimchi, cost $8.20 to make and could be sold for $20. They had impressive sales of $815,000 the year before and were hoping to reach $1 million soon!
However, Kheedhim faced a challenge: most of their sales were coming from stores, and they didn’t have much of an online presence, which could help them reach more customers. He was managing everything on his own and hadn’t hired any employees yet. While Mama O was proud of her son’s hard work, the sharks were concerned about these issues and what they could mean for the future of the business.
Queries + Shark’s Responses, and Final Deal
Kevin O’Leary, one of the sharks, tried kimchi and liked it, but he was worried that most people might not want to try it. He didn’t think it would be a good investment for him, so he decided not to invest and was the first shark to leave the deal.
Mark Cuban wondered why the kimchi business wasn’t making more money after being around for eight years. The person selling the kimchi, Kheedhim, explained that he started the business by himself without any help. Mark thought that because Kheedhim hadn’t hired any staff, it showed he might not believe in his own product enough. So, Mark also chose not to invest.
Lori Greiner really liked the taste of the kimchi and thought the family making it had a wonderful story. However, she didn’t think it was a strong business opportunity. She wished them good luck but decided not to invest either.
Kendra Scott was a guest shark, and she liked hearing about their journey but honestly said that she didn’t like kimchi herself. Since she didn’t have a personal connection to the product, she decided not to invest.
Daymond John asked why they needed money from the sharks right now. Mama O, who seems to be a key figure in the business, explained that they wanted to grow their business and needed money and guidance. Daymond thought about it but ultimately said he didn’t feel strongly enough about kimchi to invest. He was the last shark to leave without a deal.
What Went Wrong With Mama O’s Premium Kimchi On Shark Tank?
The sharks had some worries about the business, and here are the four main concerns they had. Not a lot of people know about or like kimchi compared to other popular foods, like pizza or burgers.
Kevin O’Leary, one of the sharks, was worried that it would be hard to convince people to try something they hadn’t heard of before. The business had been around for eight years, but it wasn’t selling tons and tons of kimchi really quickly. Mark Cuban, another shark, thought that after so long, the business should be growing a lot more and getting more customers.
Right now, the business mostly sells its kimchi in stores, like a grocery store. The sharks believed that if the business had a website to sell online, they could reach a lot more people and sell more kimchi.
Kheedhim, the owner of the kimchi business, was doing everything by himself. That means he was cooking, packaging, and selling the kimchi all alone! The sharks thought this made it hard for the business to grow bigger because one person can’t do everything forever. Overall, the sharks felt that without a way to grow really big and reach more customers, they couldn’t invest in the business right now. So, they decided to pass on the opportunity.
Product Availability
Mama O’s is a company that makes tasty Korean food called kimchi. They offer Ready-to-Eat Kimchi, kimchi pasta, kimchi, and DIY Kimchi kits. You can find Mama O’s products in several places like walmart, Whole Foods, Asian grocery stores, and from their official website
The prices for Mama O’s items range from about $8.99 for bags of kimchi to around $20 for the DIY kits. So whether you want something quick to eat or want to try making kimchi yourself, they have something for you!
What Happened To The Mama O’s Premium Kimchi After Shark Tank?
Mama O’s is a company that makes and sells food, and even though they didn’t make a big deal about the shark tank, still they kept getting bigger and better!
In 2024, they did some cool things. They showed off their products at the New York Fancy Foods Show. This is like a big party where food companies can show what they make, and lots of people pay attention. This helped them get noticed by more people. They started selling their food in Walmart, which is one of the biggest stores in the country.
This meant even more customers could buy their products. They also kept selling their items at Whole Foods and other stores, so they didn’t lose their existing customers.
The important thing is that Mama O’s is still doing well! This shows that by being passionate about what you do and working really hard, you can make a business successful, even if you don’t get help from famous investors.
Conclusion
Mama O’s Premium Kimchi is a special kind of food that came to the TV show Shark Tank to try to get some money from the sharks. They brought a yummy product and also shared a really heartwarming story about their business. Even though they didn’t get a deal from the sharks, they didn’t give up on their dreams.
Instead, they kept working hard, and now you can find their kimchi (which is a tasty spicy fermented vegetable dish) in more places than ever before. Their journey teaches us that being successful isn’t only about making a big sale or getting money from investors. It’s really about believing in what you’re doing and not giving up, even when things are tough.
So, if you enjoy trying new foods and want to taste real kimchi, Mama O’s is definitely something to try.
Hey, I’m Amna Habib, an undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor’s in Business Administration. Shark Tank has always been one of my favorite TV shows because it offers a unique glimpse into the world of entrepreneurship. The way entrepreneurs present innovative solutions to everyday problems aligns with my academic interests and fuels my curiosity about business strategies. Each pitch showcases creativity and strategic decision-making, which I find both insightful and inspiring. Watching the show has deepened my passion for business and motivated me to explore the world of entrepreneurship even further. Beyond business and writing, I love food, shopping, and spending time with my friends and family.
