For plants to flourish, it’s crucial to mimic their natural habitat. In settings like indoor spaces and gardens, this requires special attention. Arber’s organic plant food can help with that. Founder Vanessa Dawson, recently appeared on Shark Tank and didn’t get a deal. After the show, Arber is worth an estimated $10 million.
Vanessa Dawson’s Background
Arber products replicate key natural processes in plants, enhancing their well-being without synthetic materials. This includes boosting chlorophyll production, controlling spore germination, and improving soil health.
When Vanessa began using only eco-friendly products, she found that there were green alternatives to almost everything except plant care.
As a serial entrepreneur supporting early-stage female founders, Vanessa Dawson was intrigued by this gap in the market. Mainly she worked with consumer goods companies through her firm, Vinetta Project.
Launching Arber
Dawson hired veteran biological scientist Pam Marrone to formulate the first prototypes of the Arber line. The founder also hired multiple suppliers through her CPG connections. After two years of experimentation, the startup was established in 2021.
From the outset, Vanessa prioritized wholesale clients, recognizing the ongoing popularity of lawn and garden products in brick-and-mortar stores. As a Harvard Business School graduate, she was keen to avoid costly customer acquisition expenses.
Thanks to Vanessa’s background in private equity and finance, she managed to raise $3.5 million in funding. Raising money is relatively easy for her but the real challenge will be finding a way to become consistently profitable.
After Shark Tank
In 2023, the company invested 30% of its marketing budget into improving their online presence. That was a power move since it prepared them for a sudden spike in website traffic after their episode aired on ABC.
The startup should make $3 to $4 million in revenue for 2024 but will need to work on improving margins. Coming in with a $12.5 million valuation seemed steep, based on the money she raised from other investors, her hands were tied.
On GrowArber.com, you can view their products with prices ranging from $8 to $99. In total, the business has an average rating of 4.9 stars from 547 reviews on their website. They also have positive ratings on Amazon, Walmart and Target.
However, people have mixed opinions about the organic fertilizer on Reddit. Most of the criticism is directed towards how expensive it is but users liked the branding. Nevertheless, the company is doing well with their wholesale strategy.
Currently, Arber is in 2,900 Walmart locations and over 1,700 Target stores. Vanessa and her team want to double down on their contracts with these industry giants in the near future. In addition, the product is stocked in 100’s of garden centers across the US.
In 2024, they’re planning to add 12 products to their collection. Most likely, it will be available online and in-stores. Given Dawson’s experience, it wouldn’t be surprising if a large consumer goods company acquired Arber. According to Statista, the lawn & garden market is worth $133 billion in the US alone.
