Probiotic Maker Before Shark Tank
The Probiotic Maker is a product in which milk, or milk substitute, can be turned into a probiotic yogurt. This device can be used with whole milk, fat free milk, and even 1%, 2%, and skim milk. The overall process takes from 8 to 12 hours, making it a perfect overnight breakfast or lunch option. To use the Probiotic Maker, consumers will need to follow a few simple steps. Just take the desired milk and pour it into a bottle, unless it’s already in one. Add the probiotic starters into the milk, place the bottle in the sleeve of the kit, and keep it plugged in for about 8 hours. During the night, the milk and probiotic starter will work together in order to thicken, creating the yogurt. For sweetened or flavored probiotic yogurts, fresh fruits or sweeteners can also be added into the bottle.
The simple set-up isn’t the only tempting thing about the Probiotic Maker. Aside from that, probiotic yogurts provide consumers with a variety of additional benefits as well. For instance, yogurts supply consumers with vitamins such as calcium, protein, and an array of essential B vitamins. Not to mention they’re completely healthy and great for one’s overall health. With the simplicity of this device, having probiotic yogurt as a daily meal can become an easy habit. Nonetheless, the Probiotic Maker is a bit expensive. It is currently running for a price of $99.95 on the company’s website.
The founder of the Probiotic Maker is a man by the name of Merrick Maxfield. Before creating this yogurt device, he studied at Carnegie Mellon University to receive his Master of Business Administration in marketing. Following his graduation, he had a multitude of other career paths. For instance, Merrick used to work at places like Lone Star Classics, Huntington Tile, and a few more. His occupation was as a marketing and sales specialist. Now, Merrick is running another business called Jugurt LLC. This company was started in 2004 and they produce steel bodies for 4×4 cars. His position at this location is president. Additionally, Merrick is a father to eight children. Given this, one could imagine how saving money and buying food for a large family don’t exactly go together. Merrick realized how much money was going towards store-bought yogurt, leading him to create the Probiotic Maker. 
The Probiotic Maker was officially launched in 2016, with the intent to make daily yogurt-eating habits easier and more affordable. Not to mention his children loved it as well, and they were getting their daily vitamins in with each daily serving. Feeling as though the Probiotic Maker could benefit a wide range of consumers, Merrick ended up trying to get on Shark Tank. He is hoping a shark will be able to help him grow his business further and distribute the devices to kitchens all over the world.
Probiotic Maker on Shark Tank
Merrick Maxfield and his creation, the Probiotic Maker, made an appearance on the Shark Tank stage on April 2, 2021. The founder was hoping to get a deal of $150,000 in exchange for a 7% equity in his business, implying that the business is at a valuation of $2.1 million. Merrick begins by telling the sharks about the probiotic yogurt device, followed by a demonstration of how to use it. While doing so, Merrick tells the sharks that consumers can manage and adjust the amount of fats and sugars that are in each yogurt. They can even edit the flavor profile to fit their liking. The sharks each taste the fresh probiotic yogurt; they love it.
Although the sharks liked the yogurts, they did have some concerns, which unfortunately led the negotiations to not happen. Merrick explains that the devices cost $20 each to produce, and they sell for $99.95. Robert Herjavec asks the entrepreneur about his sales thus far. He responds, saying that he made $22,000 in sales in 2018, with another $76,000 in 2019 and $18,000 in 2020. Overall, he made a profit of $150,000 in lifetime sales. This is where things take a turn. The sharks aren’t impressed with the sales of the Probiotic Maker; however, they also have concerns about the safety of the product. They believe that further education regarding a device like this is required to successfully keep a business going. Given that, all the sharks drop out of the deal and Merrick leaves the stage without a deal. 
Probiotic Maker Now in 2024 – The After Shark Tank Update
Although Merrick Maxfield didn’t receive a deal on Shark Tank, the Probiotic Maker remains in business in 2024. The business did, however, undergo a big change. As of 2024, the Probiotic Maker is now known as the Shake Genie and it has become a sub-brand to Merrick’s first business, Jugurt LLC. In addition to that, the business has been featured in a few publications such as Meaww, ABC4 Utah, and Entrepreneur. The Probiotic Maker’s are available on the company’s website, as well as on amazon.com. On Amazon, there have been a variety of positive ratings and reviews from happy customers. These are customers who have claimed to have used the product for years, so they must be reputable.
As for the company’s social media pages, Merrick doesn’t appear to be too active on Facebook or Twitter; however, the Instagram account has seen some activity. For example, Merrick posted on the account in June 2021, when he announced that he had just packaged and shipped order number 5,000. This success came from the publicity that was received following his appearance on Shark Tank. When the Shark Tank episode aired once more on July 23, 2021, the company saw a second boost in sales. Thus, bringing their total 2021 sales up to half a million. With that, these Probiotic Maker’s seemed to have made a comeback from those declining sales at the time of the Shark Tank experience. Currently, it is safe to say that the business will remain running in the near future.
