Ramon Van Meer pitches Genius Litter, his color changing cat litter that indicates your cat’s health, in Shark Tank episode 1513. A little over three years ago, Ramon nearly lost his beloved cat, Quinsel, to a urinary tract infection. Van Meer, a serial entrepreneur with 6 businesses under his belt, collaborated with veteranarians to develop his product. The secret is silica crystals that change color when certain impurities are present in a cat’s urine. This gives cat owners early warning of potential trouble so they can get them the proper care.
In addition to the health benefits, Genius Kitty Litter allows for less odor and mess from “litter footprints.” It indicates more than urinary tract infections, too. A change to dark green or blue indicates a possible bacterial UTI or the formation of struvite stones. A change to yellow or orange reveals potential concerns like kidney problems or metabolic acidosis. It’s like having a vet in the litter box. Van Meer has a heart, too. The company feeds 10 shelter cats for every bag sold.
A six pound bag will set you back $24.99 but you can save 5% if you opt for a subscription. They also sell a supplement called Cat L-Lysine that boosts your cat’s immune system. Another product is Genius HI, a health indicating powder you can sprinkle over any cat litter to get the same effect as Genius Litter. Dog lovers might want the health indicating pee pads which diagnose the same way the litter does. The products can be found in over 1500 PetSmart and Target stores nationwide and they’re available on Amazon.
Company Information
Video
Posts about Genius Litter on Shark Tank Blog
Genius Kitty Litter: A Purr-fect Blend of Care and Innovation
Genius Litter Shark Tank Recap
Ramon enters the Shark Tank with a stuffed cat he calls his co-founder named “Kevin O’Purry.” He’s seeking $250,000 in exchange for 4% of his company. He asks if it would be could if your cat could understand what you say. With Genius Litter, you can. We love our cats, they mean everything to us and we don’t know when they’re in pain. That’s why he went on a mission to find a better way to monitor your cat’s health.
Genius litter is a super smart, health indicating cat litter that changes color if your cat is sick. It’s like having a health monitor right in your litter box. The litter is lightweight, doesn’t track in the house and absorbs all the yucky odors. For each bag they sell, they donate 10 meals to pet shelters. He asks the Sharks, “who’s ready to cuddle up with me and Kevin O’Purry and help cats live a healthier, longer life?”
Samples and Questions
Ramon tells the Sharks he’s from the Netherlands. Genius Litter is a silica litter mixed with a Ph tester. It tells you the Ph level of your cat’s urine to indicate potential health issues. If it turns red, it could be a kidney problem. Blue or green could mean a urinary tract infection. It sells for $24.99 per bag and it costs $4.71 to make. Emma feels like she’s seen an ad for something like this. She’s referring to Pretty Litter. Ramon says his is better because they use a smaller silica which is better for your cat’s paws. Genius Litter has better odor control, less dust and they’re less expensive.
Year to date sales are $3.1 million with $465,000 in profits. Last year (2022) they had $3.6 million in sales with $145,000 in profits. 70% of sales are on Amazon, Chewy and Wal Mart. 24% is retail and the rest is direct to consumer from his website. Kevin references his deal with BasePaws, a company he invested in that sold for $50 million in 2022. Ramon has heard of the company. Ramon raised $1 million and put in $1 million of his own money from a company he sold five years ago for $9 million. The business was an online blog about soap operas. At the time, he was flipping content websites.
Who’s In?
Ramon’s goal is to build the business up and sell it. Kevin talks about the importance of data. There are 110 million cats in the USA and their owners buy a lot of stuff. He has 2 new products coming out. One is a health indicating topper you can sprinkle on your existing cat litter. The other is a health indicating doggie pee-pad.
Emma says Ramon is impressive, but this is a space she doesn’t know enough about; she’s out. Mark congratulates Ramon on what he’s accomplished, but it’s not a business he wants to be in; he’s out. Kevin teams up with Lori to offer $250,000 for 10% of the company plus a $2 royalty until they recoup $1 million. They’ll do everything in their power to get more people to buy direct because that will drive up the exit value. Ramon doesn’t believe in royalties. Robert thinks direct to consumer is great, but most people still buy pet products in pet stores. Kevin floats another offer: $250,000 for 20%. Robert offers $250,000 for 10% and says he’ll help him go faster in retail and online. Ramon says he’d like 3 Sharks at 10%. Lori says she’d go to 15% for 3 Sharks. Mark jumps back in and says he’ll do $250,000 for 8%. Lori, Kevin and Robert match Mark’s offer plus 2% advisory shares. Kevin doesn’t want to be part of that, but Mark does and Ramon agrees to a deal with Robert, Mark and Lori. $250,000 for 8% plus 2% advisory shares.
Genius Litter Shark Tank Update
The Shark Tank Blog constantly provides updates and follow-ups about entrepreneurs who have appeared on the Shark Tank TV show. As of July, 2024 – about 4 months after the original air date – the deal with the 3 Sharks has not closed. Shortly after airing, the company donated $100,000 to Austin area animal shelters. The company closed out 2023 with almost $5 million in sales – a number that is sure to grow in 2024.
The Shark Tank Blog will follow-up on Genius Litter & Ramon Van Meer as more details become available.
