Where Is Brumachen From Shark Tank Today?

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At first glance, Brümachen looked like the kind of product built for caffeine-deprived commuters and early risers alike — a battery-powered, single-serve coffee brewer that fit in your cup holder and promised a hot cup on demand. Co-founders Kweku Larbi and Ross Smith thought they'd struck startup gold. Larbi, a civil engineer by trade, came up with the idea while working construction, watching crews head out of their way just to find decent coffee. He wanted to build something portable, compact, and sustainable — so he teamed up with social media personality Ross Smith, whose millions of followers could help push the product into the spotlight.

Larbi handled the tech and logistics, while Smith brought the reach and charisma. Together, they made their way to Shark Tank in 2021 with hopes of turning Brümachen into a household name — or at least one that made the morning commute a little more bearable.

When Kweku Larbi and Ross Smith walked into the Shark Tank room, they were asking for $1 million in exchange for just 10% equity — a $10 million valuation that immediately raised eyebrows. While the Sharks were intrigued by the concept (especially the biodegradable pods), the consensus was swift: The product was underbaked. Kevin O'Leary didn't hold back, hitting them with a blunt, "Are you out of your mind?" in response to the pitch — then following it up with, "I've got a million bucks but you're not getting any of it." Lori Greiner, while more measured, also took issue with the valuation — she liked the idea, but called the ask "just too rich" and bowed out. By the end of the pitch, all five Sharks were out, and Brümachen walked away without a deal.

Still, the exposure gave the company a boost — at least in name recognition. The episode generated plenty of buzz online, especially among Smith's followers who had been watching the product take shape on his platforms. Brümachen's eco angle and portable design had curb appeal, even if it didn't win over the Sharks. It offered a similar appeal to Super Coffee, another health-forward brand that turned heads in the Tank — but the real question wasn't whether the product was flashy. It was whether it could actually deliver. That answer would come soon enough.

After the episode aired, Brümachen saw the usual post-Shark Tank traffic boost. Curious shoppers flocked to the website, intrigued by the product's portability and eco-friendly pitch. But it didn't take long for things to unravel. Backers on Kickstarter — where the product had raised over $40,000 before the show — began reporting long shipping delays, broken machines, or worse — no machines at all. Complaints piled up, ranging from poor communication to full-on radio silence. One backer described the team as "thieves" and called the situation "bad business," citing months without a response or refund. Others reported the company to Kickstarter in hopes of forcing a reply.

By mid-2021, the signs weren't good. The team behind Brümachen posted a Kickstarter update apologizing for delays and blamed international shipping costs for the holdup — admitting they had run out of funds and could only fulfill U.S. orders. It was a disappointing update for international backers, many of whom had been waiting for weeks without any follow-up. Even U.S. customers reported either broken units or none at all. A few claimed their brewers arrived but failed to function properly. Momentum fizzled fast, and customer trust was already running on fumes.

Despite its early promise and polished pitch, Brümachen quietly faded from the market not long after its Shark Tank appearance. Social media went dark, the official website stopped updating, and by 2023 it was clear the company was no longer in operation. International orders remained unfulfilled, customers were still chasing refunds, and the most recent Kickstarter post — already years old — offered nothing more than an apology and a vague hope to resume shipping someday.

Part of the problem was scale. Brümachen may have looked sleek on TV, but it was a complicated product for a small startup to manufacture and support — especially one relying on crowdfunding to get it across the finish line. With no Shark deal, limited funding, and mounting customer complaints, the business struggled to keep up. Even Barbara Corcoran echoed the broader concern after the episode aired, tweeting, "I love the idea, but I do have to agree with my fellow Sharks. A 10 million dollar valuation is way too high without concrete sales."

Like Coffee Joulies, Brümachen is now part of a long line of coffee-themed Shark Tank hopefuls that never quite found stable footing. It's a cautionary tale — flashy design, strong branding, and good intentions don't always make up for manufacturing breakdowns.

Brümachen may be out of steam, but its founders haven't disappeared. According to LinkedIn, Kweku Larbi is now focused on new ventures. He's the founder of Baxter Wood, a creative studio centered on eco-conscious design, and leads The Green Board Organization, a nonprofit dedicated to sustainable initiatives. While neither appears to have reached household-name status, Larbi's pivot suggests he's still invested in entrepreneurship — just with less buzz and fewer biodegradable coffee pods.

Ross Smith, on the other hand, never left the social media scene. Best known for his viral skits with his grandmother, he's continued building his digital brand, sharing sponsored content and lifestyle videos with an audience that still numbers in the millions. His role in Brümachen seemed primarily as a marketing partner, and there's no sign he's pursued another startup since. His influence remains intact, but coffee brewing no longer appears on the menu.

While other Shark Tank coffee brands like Kahawa 1893 — a Kenyan company founded by a third-generation farmer — have continued to grow, Brümachen never got the chance to build long-term momentum. Still, both founders have kept moving — one staying on the content creator circuit, the other doubling down on mission-driven ventures. It's not the ending fans hoped for, but it's not a dead end either. And for those curious to revisit the pitch that kicked it all off, Brümachen's episode of Shark Tank is available to stream or purchase on Prime Video.