“Change the sports-drink game forever”—When Shark Tank entrepreneur Fran Harris pitched her company Electra Beverages 

Fran Harris made her appearance on Shark Tank season 12 episode 9, which aired on January 8, 2021. She sought $350,000 for 20% equity in her company, Electra Beverages, a healthy sports drink brand. Harris, a former WNBA champion, wanted to challenge major brands in the $23 billion hydration drink market.

"Introducing Electra, a better-for-you functional beverage hydration company that's going to change the sports drink game forever," she said during her pitch. She added, “Consumers are not going to settle for a sports drink that over-promises and under-delivers.”

The Sharks liked the product but had concerns. Breaking into the beverage industry would be tough, and Harris had no sales so far. Despite their hesitations, Harris secured a deal with Barbara Corcoran for $100,000 and a $250,000 line of credit in exchange for 30% equity, contingent on securing a partnership with a high-profile athlete.

According to her LinkedIn profile, Fran Harris is still the CEO of Electra Beverages in 2025. The brand announced a rebrand with new flavors, yet its official website still says "relaunching summer 2024" and offers no purchase choices.

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Electra Beverages' pitch on Shark Tank

Fran Harris entered the Shark Tank seeking $350,000 for 20% of her business. She introduced herself and her product, emphasizing its natural ingredients and functional hydration benefits. She presented three flavors:

• Litty Lemonade
• Passion Punch
• Oh Yeah! Orange

The Sharks tried the samples. Daymond John complimented the drink saying, “Passion Punch is good.” They wanted to know if any flavor was a bestseller. Harris explained these were her launch flavors and that she had just started sales ten days before her pitch.

Kevin O’Leary asked how she planned to compete against industry giants. He called them “bone-crushing monsters” and questioned how she would get distribution. Harris responded:

“I’m not afraid of competitors. I’ve competed all my life.”

She planned to sell direct-to-consumer and in retail stores. But Kevin and Mark Cuban were concerned about shipping costs. “Shipping a 12-pound box?” Kevin questioned. Mark added, “That’s going to be expensive.” Harris acknowledged the challenge but believed both retail and online sales were necessary.

Mark also asked why she chose a bottled drink instead of a powdered mix. Harris explained:

“Once you are hustling and you're active, you want to walk into a store and grab something then, right?”

But Mark pointed out, “Getting that space in the cooler is hard.” Despite the challenges, he liked the product’s formulation and high potassium-to-calorie ratio. However, he already had two sports drink deals through his NBA team, the Dallas Mavericks, and couldn’t invest.

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Production, funding concerns, and final offer on Shark Tank

Barbara Corcoran asked where Harris was manufacturing the drinks. Harris said production was based in Coppell, Texas. Barbara then questioned her funding, noting that Harris needed investment to start large-scale production.

Harris estimated her first production run would cost $20,000 to $30,000. She also planned to spend $25,000 on R&D and hire logistics, sales, and marketing staff. Barbara pressed further:

“You can’t take that product in until you get the money from us, right?”

Harris confirmed, “That’s right. Good job, Barbara.” Lori Greiner praised Harris’s confidence but wasn’t interested in the product.

“The drinks themselves aren’t really my cup of tea. For those reasons, I’m out.”

Mark had already declined due to existing contracts. Daymond John didn’t make an offer either. That left Kevin and Barbara. Just as the Shark Tank pitch seemed to be failing, Harris revealed she had two superstar athletes interested in partnering with Electra.

Corcoran chimed in, leading her to propose a deal: $100,000 upfront and a $250,000 line of credit in exchange for 30% equity, contingent on Harris securing one of the athletes as a brand partner. Harris accepted the offer on Shark Tank.

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Shark Tank airs every Friday at 8 pm ET on ABC.