Bee Free Honee, founded by Katie Sanchez and Melissa Elms, created a vegan honey alternative using apples. They pitched their idea on Shark Tank in 2016, securing a $210,000 deal with Barbara Corcoran, Mark Cuban, and Chris Sacca for 30% equity.
This success landed their product in stores like Whole Foods and Wegmans, gaining nationwide attention. However, despite its popularity, Bee Free Honee faced challenges and ceased operations in 2019.
The company’s innovative approach to plant-based foods remains a memorable part of Shark Tank history, inspiring similar ventures in sustainable and cruelty-free alternatives.
Bee Free Honee Net Worth
| Net worth | $1 Million (Business Valuation) |
| Investors | Barbara Corcoran, Mark Cuban, Chris Sacca |
| Founders | Melissa Elms and Katie Sanchez |
Bee Free Honee Pitch on Shark Tank
| Company name | Bee Free Honee |
| Product | Plant-based honey substitute that saves bees |
| Episode | Season 07 Episode 17 |
| Founders | Melissa Elms and Katie Sanchez |
| Asked for | $100,000 for 10% equity |
| Final deal | $210k for 30% equity |
| Sharks | Barbara Corcoran, Mark Cuban, Chris Sacca |
| Location | Gerber Road, Sacramento, CA |
Don’t miss these products from Season 7
Bee Free Honee Founders
Bee Free Honee was founded by Melissa Elms and Katie Sanchez in 1999. They are very smart entrepreneurs. They worked hard to grow this company. Bee Free Honee’s founders, Melissa Elms and Katie Sanchez net worth is unknown as of 2025.
Key accomplishments
| Year | Accomplishment |
| 2019 | Bee Free Honee were sold in over 1,000 stores nationwide |
| 2016 | Bee Free Honee appeared on Shark Tank |
Conclusion
Some companies that appear on the show have not achieved great success, and the Bee Free Honee was one of them. Sometimes businesses don’t succeed for many reasons. Sometimes, the deal falls through after the founders say yes on camera. Or, as you’ll see, sometimes things happen to the founders themselves, and they choose to abandon the business. Anything is possible. However, Bee Free Honee went out of business in 2019. And the product is no longer available in the market.
