Another Chicago startup is set to make an appearance on Shark Tank, the second showing for a Windy City tech company in less than a month.
Rumi Spice, a startup that sources saffron directly from Afghan farmers, announced it will appear on Shark Tank on May 5. The startup, founded by a team of US military veterans, partners with Afghan farmers to bring high quality, sustainably sourced saffron to customers around the globe. Rumi Spice employs more than 300 women in Herat, Afghanistan, who harvest the saffron by hand.
"We pitched our company to the Sharks to give them the chance to be a part of something bigger - an opportunity to make a truly impactful and sustainable difference in the future of Afghanistan through business," Kimberly Jung, Rumi Spice CEO and co-founder, said via email. "What we are doing is much more than business or social impact but a compounding effect of the two together: capitalism laying a foundation for peace."
Rumi Spice follows Chicago-based Guard Llama's Shark Tank appearance on April 14, where the company secured a $100,000 investment from judge Barbara Corcoran. Other Chicago startups that have been on Shark Tank include LuminAID, Dude Wipes, Packback, Rent Like a Champion, ReThink, Spikeball and BZ Box.
Companies aren't allows to discuss details of upcoming shows, but Jung said that both an investment as well as exposure from the show are equally important.
"...we are pitching not only to the Sharks who can really help us scale and grow the business but also to listeners across the country about why the people of Afghanistan, business as a way to create value, and the world's best saffron is important to them," she said.
"We hope to bring Afghanistan back into the international economy by creating businesses and partnering with our Afghan farmers to sell the world's best saffron - we need the Sharks to help us in this endeavor and make profits for themselves in return," Jung added.
Rumi Spice's episode will air Friday, May 5 at 8:00 p.m. central.
