Jilea and Jamie Hemmings seek an investor for Nourish + Bloom Market, their autonomous grocery store that sells healthy food, in Shark Tank episode 1518. The couple has an autistic son and they are focused on giving him healthy foods. When the family moved from Chicago to Georgia, they found there weren’t a lot of healthy choices in their area. Jamie, who has founded 4 other businesses, is no stranger to entrepreneurship. Neither is Jilea. The couple still owns a business called Stretchy Hair Care.
Where others might see a problem with a “food desert,” the Hemmings saw opportunity. They opened Nourish + Bloom Market in July, 2022. They have the distiction of being the ONLY black-owned autonomous grocery store in the world. Customers download the store’s app, scan a QR code, pick out their groceries and leave. The store automatically bills you and emails you a reciept. It’s exactly like the Amazon Go stores that are popping up in some cities.
The market is also open 24 hours. While the shopping experience is autonomous, there are still people staffing the store to stock shelves and assist customers. There’s also a bistro (not open 24 hours) attached to the store. They serve healthy bowls, burgers, sandwiches, vegetables, tacos, and Jamaican food on Saturdays. The couple has plans to open 3 or 4 more stores in the greater Atlanta area. The Hemmings are also looking to franchise their concept. A Shark could help with that.
Company Information
Video
Posts about Nourish + Bloom Market on Shark Tank Blog
Revolutionizing Access to Healthy Food
Nourish + Bloom Market Shark Tank Recap
Jilea and Jamie enter seeking a $400,000 for 5% equity in their company. It’s no secret that fresh and healthy food is essential for all living things but did you know that 1 in 8 Americans live in a food desert where fresh and healthy food is scarce. In Urban areas, people may live over a mile away from any fresh produce and in rural areas that distance can stretch to more than 5 miles. They’re in the Tank to change that.
They introduce Nourish+ Bloom. They’re on a mission to build micro markets in food deserts across America. These markets provide 24/7 access to the freshest foods, not the processed junk food you see in many convenience stores. Their markets can eradicate a food desert in 3 months – that’s a recipe for change. Check out what they’re doing in their current flagship store. Thanks to their proprietary AI, customers can walk into the store with their app, start shopping and walk out. Their AI reduces costs, enhances margins and makes the a giant boost ahead of big box grocery stores. They’re spicing things up in food courts, college campuses and airports too because people still like eating healthy on the go. They ask the Sharks “who wants to take a bite out of food deserts and Nourish and Bloom the world?”
Q&A
They provide everything in their stores. In their flagship store in Georgia, they have a distributor that bring in products. Customers download their app, put in their payment information, scan to enter the store, pick out whatever items they want and when they leave, they get a receipt. Kevin says there are 3 issues. Number 1, this is a real estate play, number 2 it’s a logistics play for fresh food items which in itself is a really complicated busines and number 3 there’s a tech stack on top of it. He says “if you wanted to make a really complicated package, you just brought one to the Shark Tank.”
Jamie grew up in a food desert in White Plains, New York. He had access to the corner store which was all junk food. Their oldest son was diagnosed with Autism at the age of 2 and they wanted to build something for him. Research shows healthy meals help children on the spectrum – that was the thing that drove them on their mission to help people to eat healthier. They’re the first autonomous grocery store in the southern United States; they have cities across the country that are coming to them because they need a solution for food deserts in their cities.
Details and Numbers
Due to the autonomous nature of the business, staff is greatly reduced. Shrinkage is only 1.8% which is less than the national average. The flagship store cost $1.5 million to build; it opened in January, 2022. Lifetime sales are over $800,000. Last month they did $22,000 in sales. They are not profitable yet. With a container store, they can open it for $400,000. There are 4 different models they can deploy; brick and mortar stores, container stores, smart vending machines and sattelite stores they can place within hotels. The container stores will yield a net profit of 100%.
Lori says she really likes to help her entrepreneurs and she doesn’t know much about this business; she’s out. Barbara says it’s like investing in a sea and she doesn’t know where her boat is going to go; she’s out. They’ve raised $440,000 from friends and family, an SBA loan for $800,000 and they have a couple notes for $250,000. They have no cash. Kevin says they’re in the thinnest margin business out there. He thinks they should approach the government. Jason asks if they ever thought of making it a non-profit. They want to license the tech. Jason’s heart is saying “yes” but his inner Shark is saying no; he’s out. Kevin wishes them the best; he’s out. Mark says their finances are a disaster, they might figure it out, but he’s out. Mark says he’ll introduce them to the right people in Dallas whether it’s city or state governments. They say they’ll be there Monday and leave with no deal.
Nourish + Bloom Market Shark Tank Update
The Shark Tank Blog constantly provides updates and follow-ups about entrepreneurs who have appeared on the Shark Tank TV show. The couple secured a deal to open 3 new container markets in Atlanta neighborhoods that are considered food deserts in June and July of 2024. They got a $600,00 grant from the city for 2 of them and they are funding the third themselves. They’re also talking to city governments in Laredo, TX, Buffalo, NY and Needles, CA about installing new stores. They also began offering franchises after getting many franchise inquiries on show night.
The Shark Tank Blog will follow-up on Nourish + Bloom Market & Jilea and Jamie Hemmings as more details become available.
