Taking a pet to the vet can be a challenging experience for both owners and their furry friends. Many pet owners feel anxious about the visit, and their pets often pick up on this, making them uneasy as well. The process usually involves several uncomfortable steps, like getting their weight and temperature checked, which may require bending or being held still.
These procedures can make the vet visit stressful and unpleasant, causing some owners and pets to try to avoid it altogether.
Ben Seidman, Anya Babbitt, and Daniella Morgan-Pascualvaca, the owners of Mella Pet Care, have introduced a system to look after pets when they suffer from any health issues. Their products are an ecosystem for connected healthcare devices for pets.
The set includes a Mella Pro Smart Thermometer that accurately measures the pet’s temperature which is then displayed on the phone and a Biggie Body Condition scale that monitors the weight and the body-fat percentage of the pet. Even the data collected can also be sent to the vet digitally through the app.
The owners came on Shark Tank to request $250K in exchange for 2.5% in their company. Ben also gave a demo of their products through a rap giving their presentation a unique touch. Let’s see if they got the deal or not.
Mella Pet Care Net Worth Shark Tank Update
Ben, Anya, and Daniella were looking for an investment of $250k in exchange for 2.5% equity in their company. At the time of the episode, they valued their company, Mella Pet Care, at $10 million. They successfully secured a deal with Mark Cuban for an investment of $250k for 6% equity in the company. The investment adjusted the company’s net worth to around $4.17 million. After the show was aired, the company experienced a good boost in exposure. As per my rough estimate, the current net worth of Mella Pet Care in 2024 is around $12 million.
Shark(s) name
Offer & Demand
Counteroffer
Accepted?
Kevin O’Leary
Out
N\A
N\A
Mark Cuban
$250K for 2.5% equity
$250K for 6% equity
Yes
Lori Greiner
Out
N\A
N\A
Daniel Lubetzky
Out
N\A
N\A
John Daymond
Out
N\A
N\A
The Owners’ Backstory
Anya related that she was a farm girl from a village and then she moved to New York to fulfill her entrepreneurial wish. She then started a company called the Split and Ben was her first employee. Afterward, she also sold her company and created Mella Pet Care along with Ben and Daniella to fulfill their desire to have a healthcare and tech company.
Daniella was a veterinary assistant and she was basically contacted by Ben and Anya for the project. Now she is getting an MBA at the University of Chicago.
Initial Pitch
The owners came on the show to seek $250K for a 2.5% equity stake. Their product is a system of pet health devices that monitors the temperature and weight of the pets on mobile phones. They are also in the process of creating more unique products that help to make the pet’s checkups easier.
Queries about the Product
Daniel, the guest shark, asked the first question regarding the difference between a human and a pet’s thermometer. Daniella highlighted that most pet owners don’t know the normal temperature of their pets and thus end up buying the $5 human thermometer. She also pointed out that through research they know what are the exact measurements of a pet’s hair length, breed, age, and weight, thus their thermometer is very much aligned with the physique of the pets.
Lori inquired about their sales. Ben replied that so far, they have sold about 2500 devices which amounts to $160K with zero spend on marketing. Moreover, their product is used in almost 1K veterinary clinics, which was fulfilled in just a year.
The shark was also interested to know about the launching year of their business. One of the owners related that they launched their product in early 2022.
Kevin asked about the medium of selling their product. Daniella answered that they not only sell their product directly to the vet but also directly to consumers.
Mr. Wonderful was curious to know their way of acquiring vets for using their product. It was through trade shows and word of mouth.
Lori was interested to know the cost it takes them to make the product and their selling rates. Ben highlighted that the Mella Pro costs them $40 to make and then it sells for $159.
Kevin also asked if they are collecting the data associated with pets. Ben replied in the affirmative and mentioned that they were collecting the first pet health data.
Anya also explained that their thermometer is the first ever that can check the temperature under the hind leg or the front leg of the pet. Their thermometer sends the data to a practice management software.
After listening to Cuban about their slow progress, Anya highlighted that they were initially busy with checking the product through veterinarians and also sold about 1600 units of Mella home to the consumers.
Kevin was interested to know the cost of acquiring their next vet. Ben pointed out that they are currently paying $4 per customer.
Cuban asked about their competitors in the same field. The co-owner highlighted that there are postoperative monitoring devices made by companies only to be used in clinics and cost thousands of dollars. There is no device that can be used by consumers at home easily.
Shark’s Response and Final Decision
Lori was the first shark to drop the deal as she considers the business to be at an initial stage.
Due to their lack of enough data, Kevin also decided to not invest in their business.
Daymond highlighted that as Kevin being the expert in the field is not investing in their product, so he can’t be able to do that as well.
Cuban offered them $250K for 6% equity in their company.
The guest shark also backed up due to their high valuation.
Anya then counter-offered Cuban $350K for a 6% equity stake. Cubans disliked their offer.
Finally, the trio accepted Cuban’s offer of $250K for 6% of their company and left the set with a deal on their hands.
Mella Pet Care is setting up to launch some exciting new products to attract more pet owners. These include a pet bowl scale for measuring food intake, a chip reader for pets with microchips, and a pulse oximeter that wraps around a pet’s hind leg to monitor heart rate, oxygen levels, and breathing. These gadgets can be found on the Mella Pet Care website.
Recently, the company also expanded its reach by partnering with major retailers like Walmart, Vet Cove, Chewy, and Pet Stock. They have even released a press statement with Mark Cuban, highlighting that their partnership is now official.
Conclusion
Mella Pet Care is making a successful place in the pet healthcare market with its unique products designed to ease pet check-ups, reduce stress, and provide accurate health data to both pet owners and veterinarians. After an appearance on Shark Tank that included a unique rap presentation, the company secured a $250K deal from Cuban for 6% equity.
Now, with support from major retailers and new products like a pet bowl scale, chip reader, and pulse oximeter, Mella is set to make pet healthcare more accessible and convenient for pet owners everywhere.
Hey there, it’s Andaleb Youns. I am a freelance content writer and am currently pursuing a BS in English Language and Literature. I have expertise in writing Blog Posts, social media content, and copywriting. I know how it feels to be a student and still be dependent on parents to fulfill even basic daily needs. This realization became apparent while watching Shark Tank. Although I started watching this show out of boredom, it proved to be an inspirational show. The show made me realize the importance of hard work, being independent, and of having a business of my own. I still look forward to it for entertaining and inspirational content.
