Chocolate Milk Revolution

Happy Tuesday!

I recently had the opportunity to chat with Manny Lubin, one-half of the dynamic duo behind Slate. The pair appeared on Season 11 of Shark Tank to pitch their delicious and healthier take on chocolate milk. In our conversation, Manny talked about their time in the tank, what they’d do differently, the growth of Slate since their appearance, and were kind enough to offer an exclusive discount just for our readers (more on that at the end)!

When I asked about their decision to go on Shark Tank, Manny mentioned that both he and Josh were long-time fans of the show and saw it as an incredible platform to share their story and introduce their venture to a wider audience.

“We felt like it was a great opportunity to allow your story to be heard,” said Manny. “Shark Tank has an unbelievable platform to inform consumers about your venture.”

When I asked him about his favorite part of the Shark Tank experience, Manny described it as an exhilarating journey that pushed them out of their comfort zones. The exposure they gained for their business was invaluable in building Slate’s brand and credibility.

“Personally, it was quite an exhilarating experience,” said Manny. “It forced us out of our comfort zones and put ourselves in a situation where we didn’t have much control of the outcome.”

However, not all memories were fond. When I asked about the worst part of their experience, Manny brought up Mark's reaction to their Dark Chocolate flavor, which, at the time, wasn't exactly a rave review.

“Mark’s reaction was not one that I think we’ll brag to our grandkids about,” Manny joked. While he and Josh still believe that the Dark Chocolate flavor was “fantastic,” he noted that all flavors have been reformulated since the show.

Reflecting on their time since Shark Tank, Manny shared that Slate has grown steadily, and they're proud of how far they've come.

“Our business has continued to grow since we filmed the episode,” Manny told me. “For us, I think it’s a great reminder of how far we’ve come. We still have a long way to go, but since then, we’ve just kept building and building.”

Manny shared that they would gladly do it again, though they'd change a few things.

“I think we could have tried to focus less on the valuation of the business, and more on the opportunity in from of us,” said Manny.

“Everyone who watches the show knows it’s extremely difficult to value a business early in its life cycle. The way to get any investor excited about an early-stage business is to focus on the growing market, your product-market fit, and product differentiation. I think we could have steered the conversation a bit more towards those points.”

Despite walking away without a deal, since their appearance on the show, Slate has made impressive strides. It is now available in about 5,000 retail locations and has a full-time team of 30 employees.

I actually saw some in my local Publix the other day and picked up a few. I’ve only tried the Classic Chocholate so far, but I’ve really enjoyed it and will be buying some more!

If you’d like to try Slate, Josh and Manny were kind enough to offer an exclusive discount for our readers. Use the code SHARKTANKRECAP at checkout to save 10% on your order!

Next Tuesday, I am going to tell you about a company from Season 1 (!!) that has gone on to dominate its niche. Any guesses who I’m talking about? Hit reply and let me know!

Talk soon,
Andrew Smith

P.S. Don’t forget to check out the Hey Chums Podcast!