Why are fans slamming Kevin O’Leary for bailing out from his offer to Sweetkiwi founders on Shark Tank?

Shark Tank Season 14 Episode 16 aired on Friday on ABC, featuring four business pitches. One of the companies showcased in the latest installment was Sweetkiwi.

Founders Michael Akindele and Ehime Eigbe appeared on the show, seeking $250,000 for 5% equity. While their product seemed interesting, their presentation and interaction with the sharks showed their need for money.

Shark Kevin O’Leary offered a deal to the couple, but then bailed out after the founders wanted to hear offers from other sharks. His behavior disappointed fans and they slammed the investor online.

Although Kevin is popularly called Mr. Wonderful, he has been rude to entrepreneurs many times in the past.

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Fans claim that Kevin was “unnecessarily rude”

Fans were upset with Kevin O’Leary in Shark Tank Season 14 Episode 16. He was seen being rude to Sweetkiwi founders Michael Akindele and Ehime Eigbe.

The shark received backlash online after he backed off from his offer to Sweetkiwi entrepreneurs. Take a look at the fans’ reactions:

Michael and Ehime launched Sweetkiwi in 2011. The latter was the one who came up with the idea after having a food scare in 2009.

The description of the product was explained on the company’s website. It reads:

“Sweetkiwi is an innovative, frozen dessert that satisfies a sweet tooth while supporting a healthy gut. Using premium, natural ingredients sourced from family farms within our communities, Sweetkiwi’s frozen whipped Greek yogurts are packed with functional nutrients like protein, probiotics, fiber, and immune-boosting superfoods.”

Ehime has received several awards and recognition due to the success of her company. The products can easily be purchased from their website, where a pack of four costs $58.98, and a pack of six is $39.99. Some of the flavors include Mango Mojito, Hibiscus and Ginger, Raspberry Frose, Cookies and Cream, Chocolate Hazelnut, and Vanilla Bean.

In addition to Sweetkiwi, Shark Tank’s latest episode also showcased three more businesses — Flated, Woof, and Pluie.

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Did Sweetkiwi get a deal on Shark Tank?

Sweetkiwi is a company that provides healthy whipped frozen yogurt in many flavors. Founders Michael Akindele and Ehime Eigbe appeared on Shark Tank with an offer of $250,000 for a 5% equity.

Some of the factors that led sharks to decline the offer were high valuation, several competitors in the market, and founders showing more interest in money.

Kevin O’Leary initially gave an offer to the couple and was pushing them to make a decision then and there. The founders wanted to check with each shark before making a decision. This might have irked Kevin and he backed out from his offer.

While Kevin dealt with the Sweetkiwi entrepreneurs in a slightly rude manner, shark Robert Herjavec decided to share his wisdom. After a long speech, he made an offer of $250,000 for 20%. Michael and Ehime requested that the shark bring down the equity percentage.

Robert gave a final offer of 16%, to which the couple agreed. Hence, the Sweetkiwi founders got a deal from Robert Herjavec.

In addition to Robert and Kevin, Shark Tank also featured Mark Cuban, Daymond John, and Lori Greiner on the panel of investors.

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Shark Tank airs new episodes every Friday on ABC at 8:00 pm ET and streams the following day on Hulu.

Viewers can also watch the show via live streaming services, such as Philo, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling, and DirecTV Stream.