- Previously on "Food Stars"...
- This is a VIP table.
Let's get it right.
- These guests are the creme de la creme.
- Oh. - Wow.
- Did the food touch the [bleep] black pudding?
- Whoa! - Coming in.
Move, move, move. - Everything's OK?
- It's controlled chaos.
- Guys, just stop. It's done.
That was a [bleep] show.
The customers described the service as sloppy.
Because of that, the individuals
not going through are Nicholas and Liz.
- [bleep].
[dramatic music]
- You are the final five.
Well done.
- People do underestimate me.
But don't be fooled.
I know what I bring to the table.
- Congratulations.
- I quit my job to do this, so I am 100%
going to be the next Food Star.
- You've grown so much.
- This is go big or go home.
If I'm going to leave my family,
I'm going to leave the business behind,
I'm going to absolutely win.
- You've outperformed your friends...
- People are gonna say I'm too young,
but I think I'm gonna prove all of them wrong.
- And your rivals.
- I am trying to create a sauce empire
with Chin Dribblin'.
So whatever I need to do, I'm gonna do it
in order to win this competition.
- Your next challenge is going to show us...
- Whoa-ho. - Oh, my God.
- Who really is the best of the best.
- [laughs]
- Tonight...
- Semi-finals, baby.
- Every man and woman for themselves.
- This pitch is everything to me.
[contestants exclaiming]
- It's within your grasp.
- I don't know how a human can get even more nervous.
- Something weird happened in there.
Like, I'm sweating.
Like, I feel like I'm gonna pass out.
[dramatic music]
♪ ♪
- Still reeling from the shock of losing two entrepreneurs
in one grilling, Gordon and Lisa have asked
the final five to stay behind.
- Take a good look around you,
because you are the final five,
and closer than ever to that
quarter of a million dollar life-changing prize.
♪ ♪
But all of you, listen carefully,
because the semi-final starts right now.
- [laughs] What?
- When we first met you, you each showed us a product
that exploited a gap in the market.
We want you to do it all over again,
but from scratch this time.
You're going to create the concept for a product,
the branding, the packaging,
and social media campaign.
- Lisa and I want you to focus on the biggest selling
food and drink categories across the U.S.:
non-alcoholic drinks, breakfast items,
spirits, and pet food.
Some of you have spent years getting your businesses
off the ground.
For this challenge, you've got 36 hours.
Show us you've got the business intuition
to disrupt the market, think outside the box,
and create the next big, exciting thing.
Once you've presented your new ideas to Lisa and myself,
we will be choosing the three contestants
that will make it into the grand finale.
Is that clear? - Yes.
- Excited? - Yes.
- Very. - Very.
- The very best of luck to all of you.
- Thank you. - Thank you.
- Get up, get out there, and get inspired.
Go on. - Get out of here.
- Thank you. - Well done.
Don't hold back.
♪ ♪
[clock ticking]
- The semifinalists have 36 hours to choose
from four competitive food and drink categories
and create an innovative product that will stand out
on grocery store shelves.
- Let's go build a brand from scratch.
- We have so many things we could do, though.
- All right.
- The final five have access to a top tier supermarket
where they can engage with shoppers, draw inspiration
from established brands, and find their niche
in the food and drink market.
♪ ♪
- This whole challenge is really gonna test
their business instincts... - Yeah.
- Well, good luck, boys. - You too, ladies.
- To come up with something innovative,
unique, from A to Z, on your own, flying solo.
- I hope you find inspiration without us.
- Easy.
- No one to blame, no one to depend on--
everything across this new product is your own initiation.
- That's a lot of pressure. - Yeah.
♪ ♪
- This exact thing is how I came up with Whiny Baby.
Like, I walked into a Whole Foods,
and then I started scanning the wine aisle,
looking for competitors,
looking at different packaging.
Couldn't find what I needed,
realized there was a need for it,
and then became obsessed.
20% alcohol.
So I think I'm gonna go the alcohol route.
But my biggest focus right now is the packaging,
because I think that what I want to do doesn't exist.
I'm here doing a little bit of market research
because I'm developing a new product.
- OK.
- So could I ask you a couple questions?
- Sure.
- Do you drink cocktails? - I do.
- OK, and what kind of cocktails
do you typically drink?
- Sex on the Beach.
- Oh, honey, I knew you were my kind of person!
- I love a Sex on the Beach. - That's my favorite.
- Could you see yourself buying a pre-batch cocktail
that had a top that could reseal?
So have a couple sips, reseal, slip it into that coat pocket.
- I see where you're going with this.
- OK. - I think I like it.
- You like it? - Yeah.
[both shrieking]
- OK.
- She's actually drinking in one of the aisles right now,
I'm pretty sure. - [laughs]
- It's definitely similar to building
my own product line for Hot Drops.
Take something out of nothing, create something
that would appeal to a mass market,
checks the box on cost of goods sold, price, taste.
I want to check this section out real quick.
I see a lot of value
in the world of non-alcoholic drinks
that could be passed off as alcoholic.
So that's kind of where I'm leaning.
Do you guys usually make your own breakfasts?
Or do you stop somewhere?
- I would probably take something in with me.
- OK.
With my pretzel company,
like, a year ago, I was in this same exact stage,
coming up with a complete product from nothing.
My brain is always thinking of new ideas.
So it's going to be breakfast that you can
pop in the microwave and take to go with you.
- Have you ever tried non-alcoholic cocktails?
- I feel right at home because Global,
the brand I brought to market, is sold in food stores
all over the United States.
It's interesting that most of these are in a can.
The product I want to create is a non-alcoholic cocktail pack.
- Get--get your own aisle.
This is what I want to see.
♪ ♪
- In my company, Chin Dribblin',
I am very much so, like, out of the box
and very cheeky when it comes
to the kinds of things that I do.
So I'm making something healthy and good for your dog.
Do you guys own pets?
Have you ever bought them dog beer
or dog wine, things like that?
- Right. What if it was a celebrational thing, right?
They go get neutered.
[music winds down, stops]
Where I do shine is with my creativity,
so I just have to reel it in enough to where it's fun,
interesting, and people say, holy [bleep],
that's genius.
[soft music]
- With their market categories chosen,
the semifinalists must now create and design
their finished products.
- Every man and woman for themselves.
- Good morning, the Fab Five.
- Whoo!
- I hope you've all taken inspiration from where
you were, first thing.
- We put together this innovation hub for you
to inspire your brands.
You can explore packaging options, flavor combinations.
- Innovate and create something unique.
Because the next time you see Lisa and myself,
you'll be pitching to get into the grand finale.
This is it, guys.
There's a lot at stake.
Good luck. - Yes.
- See you. - Thank you.
- Take care, guys.
Any new product has very little chance of standing out
because everybody's fighting for those positions
on those shelves.
Space is tight.
Very few brands break through.
To compete, you've got to stand out from the crowd
with something new, something super creative.
And that product needs to be identified quickly.
[dramatic music]
- Deciding on the filling
for his new breakfast item is Roman.
- My product is gonna be a fluffy pancake.
It's gonna have some great flavors in there
with the cheese, sausage, and egg,
and then just that hint of maple syrup.
And it's just going to be something easy
you can throw in the microwave.
Its name is Happy Riser.
It's a happy morning when you're eating one.
♪ ♪
- The product that I've settled on
is a beverage that is good for you,
but also that you can use as an alcohol replacement.
That's pretty good.
It's a prebiotic.
It's supposed to be a better-for-you product.
It utilizes an extract of maté
as a part of the natural caffeine boost to create
a "buzz," if you will,
that is like a non-alcoholic buzz without the fuzz.
You know what I mean?
- Packaging innovation,
I'm kind of learning in this competition,
I think that's, like, my real passion.
Growing up, my mom would buy these popsicles.
So I had this vision of,
what if the cocktails came like that?
You rip off the top,
and then you can just kind of reseal it.
Why have people not thought of this?
Imagine yourself this summer, at a festival,
just mm-mm, mm-mm, mm.
I think I just made a billion dollar brand.
[suspenseful music]
♪ ♪
[indistinct chatter]
- Oh-ho, OK, that is very potent.
I'm doing a progressive
non-alcoholic cocktail multipack
representing a night out with your girlfriends.
I'm going to showcase passion fruit,
espresso martini,
and a lychee kombucha.
I'm calling these non-alcoholic cocktails instead of mocktails
because I want to give that this is more special,
like it was created by a mixologist.
Oh, my God.
That's delicious.
♪ ♪
I love looking at alcohol next to the raw meat for the dogs.
[laughs]
[light music]
- Oh, God, what the hell is happening over here?
- It's like a Wednesday. - Oh, my God.
What is that, sardine? - Yeah.
- What the [bleep] is this? - It's a duck neck.
- Duck necks.
Oh, my God, that is viciously potent.
- It's a nutrient shot for dogs.
But I'm marketing it as, like, a dog whiskey.
There's wine for dogs, there's beer for dogs,
but, like, where's the spirits for dogs?
♪ ♪
Mm, bone broth.
[clock ticking]
- With just under 30 hours left on the clock,
the semifinalists must also design the packaging
for their prototypes.
- I want to add on there somewhere,
"The Pancake Handshake."
- [laughs]
- Perfect.
- I want it to be, like, a bigger,
more popped out version of these.
You know?
Non-alcoholic, with a hyphen, vodka.
Yeah, that's good.
- Are you going to put the word "mocktail" on it anywhere?
Like, is it going to be obvious?
- I would put 0% ABV, and then mocktail.
- Mm, it's really quite subtle.
- Like, the whole point is for it to not be in your face.
- Yay.
This is my favorite thing I've designed
this whole competition.
- How are you doing over here?
- We're doing.
Getting it done.
- Like, you don't have that much time, so--
- Yeah, get away.
I'm doing pet food.
It's different.
And if it's executed properly,
it could be very, very, very profitable.
But it's a very short amount of time
to do a large project like this.
- What font do you want?
Do you want--
- I don't know.
I feel like it's not my best.
What it comes down to is I care a lot.
And I just-- I really want to win.
Oh, my God.
[voice breaking] I really wanted to show--
[scoffs] I'm always so freaking emotional in these.
[bleep].
I wanted to show that I can do something
completely different.
- Mission accomplished.
- All right, I'm out of here.
- Thank you so much.
[dramatic music]
♪ ♪
[dramatic music]
- Just like another average Wednesday for us, right?
- I tend to compare myself to others.
But, like, I'm in a completely different realm
with my product.
It's innovative, and I'm excited about that.
- This is amazing.
- Another day, another palace.
This is the last challenge before the finale.
The $250,000 prize weighs on this product I created.
So the pressure is on.
- This makes me nervous.
What's in here?
- 1, 2, 3.
- Yes!
Oh, that's sick.
- Oh, that's so sweet.
- Oh, my God.
- Oh!
- Oh, my God, these are adorable.
- These turned out better than I thought.
- Me too.
- I would 100% buy these.
- I would probably eat one of these every morning.
- OK, admit, this turned out pretty sick.
I see mine, and I'm like, "This is awesome."
So see? Resealable.
But then I look around and, you know,
everyone has created really cool, innovative brands.
I want to eat yours so bad.
I'm not sitting comfortably.
I don't think anyone is.
So is it, like, a special treat for your dog?
- It can be a special treat.
It can be added to their normal food.
- The question is, is it gonna get you to the finale?
- They both have pets.
And they both care about 'em.
- I like your strategy.
- Are you guys nervous being in the same category at all?
- No. Psh.
Not at all. - Ooh.
- The whole point of it is by using yerba maté,
by having prebiotics and being an alcohol replacement,
you apply to three different markets all in one.
- This isn't just an alternative to alcohol.
It's actually replicating the most popular
alcoholic beverages so people that don't drink
can still enjoy those flavors.
- That's like the non-alcoholic Negronis
you can buy or non-alcoholic gin and tonics.
- So are you saying her product exists on the market?
[dramatic music]
- Yes.
- Well, that's fine.
- I think I'm the only one who created
a totally innovative packaging style that doesn't exist.
So that's kind of a different approach, I think.
- Are you worried that they're gonna say
that you went alcohol when your thing is alcohol, or no?
- Alcohol is what I do.
And if I went a different direction,
that wouldn't be true to who I am as an entrepreneur.
So, yeah, I'm not worried about that at all.
May the best product win.
Good luck. - Good luck.
- Yeah.
♪ ♪
- Hell yeah, all right.
- OK.
This is fabulous.
- With time counting down to their pitch,
the entrepreneurs must film engaging social media promos
that will propel their product and themselves into the final.
- There's a lot of talent in this semi-final.
I don't know who's gonna shine in this one.
I really don't.
- Let's pray that Sammy loves this.
[suspenseful music]
[dog whimpering]
No, come back.
- I want to know what you think of them all individually.
What about Ali?
- Ali's desperate to be successful.
She has a burning desire like no other.
- I want to see the fire in her belly
that made her create that hot sauce
that we saw at the pitch, when I desperately wanted her
and she pissed me off because she went with you.
Bet she's regretting that now.
- No, she's not.
- Bet she wished she was comfortable
and cozy on my team.
- No, she--what, sat next to Donut and you?
No chance. She's happy.
- A lot people would give their left nut to sit next to Donut.
- Really?
- Let's see what it looks like, actually.
Oh, that's cool.
- Andrew, as a front man on Team Ramsey,
he's been brilliant.
He's a hustler, relentless.
And in business, it's all about pursuit.
- He's good.
He's calm, dependable.
But I don't feel the passion.
- The problem with Andrew
is that he just sounds a little smug.
- Done.
Honestly, I just [bleep] think it's great.
- And you want more empathy...
- Exactly. - And more connectability.
- Exactly, finally, we agree on something.
- Yeah. [laughs]
- I hope our line of non-alcoholic cocktails
helps to make your life easier.
- Erica, someone that steadies the ship.
- I have a lot of respect for her,
the fact that she is mother in business
and she's built her product around that.
I think she's not afraid to take chances.
- Jeez, Louise, these are not easy to open.
I'm not gonna say that on camera.
- What do you think of Jess?
I mean, she's been my shining star, really, hasn't she?
- She is very knowledgeable.
And she just oozes confidence.
Very little fazes her.
- She could fall down on the fact
that she might turn it into the Jess Show, you know?
Because it's not about her, it's about the product.
- Are you sick of sticky fingers from spilling...
Are you [bleep] kidding me?
Or from having the--
I'm too loud for the damn mic.
- What about Roman?
I think he was underestimated
because he was too young.
He is 21.
He's got, like, three food trucks.
He's not afraid of hard work.
- Happy Riser, the pancake handshake.
- For me, Roman's trajectory has been incredibly consistent.
And I think he's peaking at all the right times.
- This is the defining moment.
- He could literally [bleep] the bed
or end up in the finale.
- [bleep] the bed.
That's such lovely terminology.
- Well, there you go. There you go.
[dramatic music]
- With the social media promos finished,
all that stands between the entrepreneurs
and a place in the final is their pitch.
♪ ♪
- So here we are.
They've got three minutes to really impress us.
- Have you ever impressed anybody
in three minutes, Ramsay?
- I'm just pretending this is Lisa and this is Gordon.
Gordon, Lisa, let's start ripping,
shaking, sipping, and saving today with Sip Strips.
Thank you.
- Nice. - Threatened?
- Nope.
- Jess is first to present,
sticking to the market she knows best, alcohol.
- This will be a true test for them, the delivery.
How polished are they?
What are they like under pressure?
There's that moment, 30 seconds before,
when you're absolutely sweating it.
And then you walk out, breathe, hold the room,
and present your product like no other.
- Hello. - Hello.
We love an entrance around here.
[chuckles]
I don't know how a human can get even more nervous.
Go ahead and open up your-- your Wis Scrit--Sip Strips.
I'm confident in my product.
And now I just gotta do the pitch.
♪ ♪
- Really [bleep] [bleep].
[bleep].
[suspenseful music]
- Gordon, down in one.
♪ ♪
- [coughs]
- The flavor profile is so strong,
I'm just gonna pour this in here.
Otherwise, I'm going to be wasted.
- Yeah.
- This challenge is so vastly different
to the other challenges.
It's about working individually.
That $250,000 is right round the corner.
There are no excuses.
There's no blame to be put on anybody.
It's all about them and the choices they've made.
- It's all yours.
- Gordon, Lisa, I'm excited to share with you Sip Strips.
So we've all faced the need for a more practical cocktail
at some point in our life.
But imagine if there was a way to sip,
and then reseal and save, simply slipping your cocktail
back into your purse.
We're selling an eight-pack
at a suggested retail price of $34.99.
So let's start ripping, shaking, sipping, and saving
with Strip-- Sip Strips together.
Would you like to see the social media video?
- Please, yes.
- OK, let's give it a whirl.
Are you sick of sticky fingers from spilling drinks
in crowded rooms
or from having to ask your friends to hold your drink
while you go use the restroom?
That's why I invented Sip Strips,
the ultimate cocktail-to-go that you
simply sip, reseal,
and slip back into your pocket or purse.
For $39.99, you can stop trippin' and start sippin'.
- Yeah.
How convenient is it, Jess, out with your friends
and you move around one of these?
'Cause where do you put it once you've sipped it?
Where's it going?
- When you do reseal it,
it's actually kind of nice.
'Cause the more you drink, it rolls up.
- But it's a bit flaccid.
It's a bit weird to walk around and then--
- Did you just say flaccid?
[laughs]
- It is a little--yeah.
- It doesn't feel as elegant as your presentation.
- I definitely agree with you on that.
Going into a bar and drinking out of a nice glass
is part of the experience.
- And to be honest with you, the perfect scenario
is you throw some ice cubes in.
- Hold on a minute.
You open up the seal
and you stick ice cubes inside the pouch?
No, Jess.
- I like some of it, the premise of it.
What makes them really stand out from the market?
♪ ♪
I think it needs a lot of work.
- Ugh, God.
The flavor's there. It's just messy.
I want you to think about how do you make it
a little bit more discreet.
- Absolutely. - Thank you, Jess.
- Thank you so much for your time.
♪ ♪
- I don't want to see this in my cocktail bar.
- [sighs]
I need a second.
- It's a cool idea.
But honestly, last time I saw a bag like that
was my granddad's colostomy bag.
- [laughs]
[dramatic music]
- Next, with an on-the-go product
for the breakfast market is Roman.
- Hey, how you guys doing?
- The floor's all yours.
- [sighs]
Imagine a world where breakfast is
not just the most important part of the day,
but the happiest.
Introducing Happy Risers,
the ultimate grab-and-go breakfast solution.
- Happy what? Sorry?
- Happy Risers.
- Like an early morning rise?
- Yep, like the-- 'cause the pancakes,
they rise up and they make you happy.
- Right.
- [laughs]
- Happy Risers are a handheld, fluffy pancake
that are infused with maple syrup
and stuffed with savory sausage, egg, and cheese.
They're the perfect on-the-go breakfast snack
to grab for busy college students
just like myself one year ago.
We're the only stuffed pancake
with savory sausage, egg, and cheese.
So our landed cost of a four-pack
of our Happy Risers is $2.16.
And our suggested retail price is between $6.99 and $7.99.
So here is my video.
[alarm clock beeping]
[upbeat music]
♪ ♪
Happy Riser, the pancake handshake.
- [laughs]
What was that?
What did you say there at the end?
- The pancake handshake,
because it is a handshake of two pancakes with the...
- Yes. No, I get that. I get that.
- Syrup, sausage, egg, and cheese in the middle.
- OK. - OK.
- So I'm gonna turn on this microwave real quick.
- Sure.
[light music]
[microwave dings]
♪ ♪
Thanks, Roman. - You're welcome.
- Thank you. - There you go.
Enjoy. - Thanks.
- OK.
[quirky music]
♪ ♪
- Visually, it looks a little bit strange.
If you actually bite into it, it actually tastes decent.
- Thank you. - How is this gonna stand out
in an already congested market?
- Um...
- It's a tough one to break into.
And as you know, there are some very serious
heavy conglomerates out there that are already doing it.
- Mm-hmm.
- But this is a lot higher spec, right?
- Yes. - Yeah.
Definitely needs some work,
but I like the effort, for sure.
- Thank you. - Thanks, Roman.
- Thank you. - Thank you.
- Thanks, Roman.
He doesn't disappoint.
- At first, I was a little bit nervous.
But honestly, second bite in,
it actually tasted pretty decent.
- Yeah, exactly.
- He's got to change the name.
Happy Risers--
- I don't think it even crossed his mind.
- Oh, [bleep].
- [laughs]
- Ali is next with her foray into the pet food market.
- I need to nail this to get through to the finale.
But if I go out taking a risk,
then that's all I can ask for myself.
- OK, it's all yours.
- Woofskey Shots are nutrient shots for dogs.
There's four flavors, as you see.
The Smoky Bacon is my favorite.
- You're not going to try it.
- I am.
- It's for dogs.
- You can try it now.
Sure, it is--yeah.
[dramatic music]
- Are you serious?
Come on.
♪ ♪
[dramatic music]
- [sighs]
- The entrepreneurs have started their pitches,
and having her nutrition shot for dogs taste tested is Ali.
- Interesting.
Hmm.
- You guys are both pet owners, right?
- Oh, yes, very much so.
- Wouldn't you say that the worst thing
about owning a pet is they don't normally outlive us?
- Ooh.
[quirky music]
Well, it's a bit sad. - A bit.
But what if you could give them a nutrient shot
that could help them for the little time that they have?
- On their deathbed?
- While they're alive. - OK, right.
- Yes. - Gotcha.
- Because we can't out-love our pets
the way they love us.
But we can try with Woofskey Shots.
Woofskey Shots are nutrient shots for dogs,
but "branded" like a whiskey shot.
All of the fun of whiskey, but none of the harm
and provides nutrients all in one go.
Let me show you your social media campaign.
- Please.
- The worst thing about dogs is they can't outlive us.
Give them the nutrients they need
to make as many memories as possible
before their time is up.
Woofskey Shots,
a nutrient-rich bone broth shot
packed with collagen and omega-3s.
Return their love with Woofskey Shots,
designed with your pet's livelihood in mind.
- Um, first of all, Ali, I think it's obvious
tonight you've come out of your comfort zone.
I didn't expect this, if I'm honest.
How would this sit
in the average household in the U.S.?
- Actually, great, because it's very low calorie.
There's tons and tons of health benefits in this product.
Bone broth, turmeric, omega-3s--
the benefits are widely known.
It's $0.18 a unit for that.
But let's say we mark it up to $2.50, right?
That's $2.32 back in your pocket.
That is a 1,288% markup and a 93% margin.
- Why do you have to go so high, though?
- You don't.
But it's a health food for dogs, so, you know,
people will pay for it, especially in an eight-pack.
- When you're thinking of gifting for animals,
it would be a perfect set.
- I like this very much. - Thank you.
- I think it's a great idea.
- Thank you so much.
- Ali, thank you.
- Adventurous. - Very.
Not a big fan of the packaging. It just looks like--
- No, it does look a little pharmaceutical.
I understand what she's trying to do.
- Mm-hmm.
- It could be a lot more friendly, for sure.
[dramatic music]
- Presenting her non-alcoholic beverage multipack is Erica.
- Hi.
- Thank you.
- Picture girls' night out, date night
with your spouse or partner, family reunions.
All of these occasions always include alcohol.
So I'm launching a line of artisan non-alcoholic cocktails
called Eezi.
The difference here that I really want to clarify
is that we're sold in three-packs.
This pack is meant to replicate the progression
of an evening out.
So today, I brought you Girls' Night Out,
which starts with a lychee kombucha,
followed by the passion fruit,
and then a post-dinner chocolate espresso martini.
- Shall we watch your social?
- Oh, yes.
Hi, I'm Erica Bethe Levin.
And I am the founder of Eezi.
And I created Eezi as a busy mom and founder
to make my life a little bit easier.
I have been relying on my 5:00 PM cocktail
to relax for far too long.
- I hope our line of non-alcoholic cocktails
make your life a little bit easier, as it has mine.
Cheers.
- It was a little long.
It should be able to grab you 30 seconds, maximum.
I like the colors and the branding, for sure.
What do you think?
- It's fragrant, but it is very sweet.
What do you think the average calorie in each can would be?
- I--maybe 150.
- 250.
- 250, you think?
- Yeah, sugar, fiber, nonalcoholic vodka.
Give me an insight to the figures.
- These are small batch,
so that's obviously very expensive.
So we're looking at $1.98 a can.
- Which is high, right?
- I run a premium product company myself.
That's about where I see our costs.
And I'm able to price this a lot higher.
- There's a lot of cocktails like this in the market.
- Mm-hmm.
- How do you stand out from the crowd?
- We're sold in three-packs.
- To establish confidence in the market,
would you not just sell one single item first?
- We chose-- I chose a three-pack.
- Wow.
Erica, thank you. - Thank you for your time.
♪ ♪
- Why is she so hell bent on selling three of something
as opposed to just one? - I don't know.
- Does she have any idea how congested those shelves are?
- Something weird happened in there.
Like, I'm sweating.
And my, like, head is pounding.
Like, I could barely get through it.
I just need to sit down for a second.
- Such an assumption to think that people would
drink three of those in one night.
♪ ♪
- I'm shaking.
Like, something's wrong.
- My head is pounding and I'm, like, shaking.
And I'm sweating my ass off.
I feel like I'm going to pass out.
Honestly, I'm getting a little nervous.
[suspenseful music]
- My hands are shaking.
And my head is pounding.
- Just--just chill.
Try and rest.
Can we go somewhere quiet?
Please.
- Yeah. Just come on with me.
- Are you worried about me?
- Yeah, I'm gonna get you somewhere quiet.
♪ ♪
- Last to pitch is Andrew, with his attempt to
break into the non-alcoholic beverage market.
- All right.
I'm very excited for you both to try this.
- Thank you.
- Yeah.
Because it would be wrong for me not to join you,
I think I'll too have some.
This is a beautiful place.
♪ ♪
It's a perfect place to enjoy a beverage.
♪ ♪
- In your own time, Andrew.
- What?
- In your own time. - Yes.
OK.
So it's with great excitement that I present to you Mocksy.
In a world where decisions define us,
Mocksy isn't just a cocktail, it's not a mocktail,
and it's not a beverage.
It's a lifestyle.
- Lifestyle.
- Our appeal is broad.
We're targeting everyone--
the consumer who prefers products that are
organic, plant-based, sugar-free, low to no calorie,
potentially some prebiotics, maybe some yerba maté.
Now, Mocksy is designed for versatility.
Whether you are golfing in the morning
or whether you're enjoying a night out with friends,
it's the perfect companion.
Now, in terms of profitability, the cost of production
is $0.65.
We would target a unit cost of $2.50
per unit for sale on retail.
That puts us at a 400% markup.
- That seems a little bit inflated, 400% markup.
Would you tee up the video, please?
- Yeah, please.
Yo, my man, I know you have a big day tomorrow,
but you've never missed the annual b-day barbecue.
Wait, what is Mocksy?
This looks good.
It says, "All buzz, no fuzz."
So this is a mocktail, but it looks like a cocktail.
So no one's gonna ask me why I'm not drinking,
and I get the buzz from the yerba maté?
Yeah, this is my new beverage.
Let's crack two.
I'm gonna need the boost.
This is gonna be a long day
and probably a long night.
[tense music]
- Where's it aimed at?
When you think of non-alcoholic cocktails,
we think about enjoyment.
We don't want to worry too much
about the healthy side. - Sure.
No, we're very much aimed at the market
that is rooted in health that we see now.
- Don't you think the name intimates that it's a mocktail?
- Oh, absolutely.
It's definitely designed to double.
- You're sort of trying to cater for every market.
It does advertise a non-alcoholic cocktail,
but you want this drunk through the day, right,
as a healthy drink.
- It's almost like diluting the message
by trying to appeal to everyone.
- Thank you.
- Cheers, thank you. - Thank you.
- Listen, I think he's got something there
with that healthy aspect to this drink.
But decide which lane you're going down and stay in it.
- Exactly.
The name doesn't tie in with what he's trying to do.
- I think it went really well.
I feel like I had moxie out there, you know what I mean?
- The social media pitch was a little bit lackluster.
- Yeah.
- Because there was nothing healthy in the advert.
- I think it missed the mark a little bit.
- I definitely have confidence in the product that I made,
more so than some of the ones I saw.
[suspenseful music]
- They were tough. - For sure.
- They were calling out things that I didn't
even think about or notice.
It was just a lot. It was a lot.
- That was a tough night. No one nailed it.
Let's get that absolutely clear.
Each and every one of them have left a few questions.
We've got some serious thinking to do now.
This is gonna be a very tough call, but it's the finale.
They need to be good to get into that final.
♪ ♪
[suspenseful music]
♪ ♪
- Please, take a seat.
♪ ♪
Welcome.
Erica, first off, how are you feeling?
- Better. - Good.
- Better, thank you.
- Lisa and I are glad to hear it.
- Thank you.
- Right, all of you, welcome to your final grilling.
We asked you all to come up with an entirely new product
that would really fill a gap on that supermarket shelf,
alongside that, create a social media post.
- This is a competition to cement your place in the final
to win a quarter of a million dollars.
- Tonight you need to have shown us why you deserve
that place in the finale.
- Jess, you presented with such confidence.
The branding, I liked it very much.
I was a little disappointed that you
didn't challenge yourself.
[tense music]
There's definitely a market for this at festivals and events.
I like that.
I'm not sure I'd want it in my handbag.
I like the resealable element if it works.
If it doesn't, it could be a disaster.
- That pitch was a little bit all over the place.
It didn't make sense. - Yeah.
- It's the first time I've heard you waffle.
- Yeah. - Why?
♪ ♪
- I don't think I've cried yet in front of you guys,
which I've been happy about,
but I'm a little
emotional this moment.
The only explanation I can give is
that it was one of those moments as an entrepreneur
where I went, you're so in it
that sometimes you forget to take a step back.
- The way you present, you're so sharp, you're so concise.
That's really impressive. This isn't.
- I think that, regardless of what happens
in this competition, I have what it takes
to revolutionize the food and beverage industry,
and I'm just getting started. - Hmm.
♪ ♪
Andrew, Mocksy is a standout name.
- Yeah.
- But who are you aiming at?
- The initial goal was to have it be,
like, 65% focused on health.
- Why not make it just about health,
and stay in that lane and own that lane?
- It was really aiming it at the health market
with the caveat that it could be used as a mocktail.
- The sacrifice you've made to be here is extraordinary.
You quit your job, you believing
before its launched that you've got it right.
Where does that level of confidence come from?
- It's genuine.
Like, I really do believe in the products that I make.
I wouldn't be able to sell them effectively if I couldn't.
- We like to hear that. - Thank you.
- So, Roman, cheeky name.
[laughter] Happy Riser.
Um, that--
- When I thought of the name, that is not what I had in mind.
- And the pancake handshake?
I mean, who's writing this [bleep]?
♪ ♪
- It was memorable, for sure.
- I love the convenience of having these things
just in the freezer and, you know,
3 minutes in the microwave.
It actually tasted better than I thought it would.
- Thank you.
- The big question for you is,
do you honestly think, in a super congested market,
is it special enough to stand out?
♪ ♪
- Ali, ooh, first of all,
the social media messaging was negative.
- Yeah.
- Because it was suggesting
that the pet was about to die.
- Yeah, I could have just taken that first sentence out.
And then that morbidity would have just
depleted in the whole thing.
So easy fix.
But yes, I totally understand.
♪ ♪
- I think that was the first time Lisa and I
saw you completely out of your comfort zone.
Why? - Because I care.
Because I want to do well,
and I want to prove myself to you guys,
and then obviously do it for my mom
because she was that strength that I had.
- Thank you. - And I love the name.
- Thank you, Lisa.
- Erica. - Yes.
- I have to compliment you in tapping
into a burgeoning market.
You impress me, you know, not afraid to take chances.
Really well done. Really.
- Thank you.
- I hope you understand that social media side
was way too long.
Your job is to flaunt and launch those products,
not indulge in them.
And that's what it felt like with 90 seconds.
- Yes.
- Listen, I fell in love with the name.
What I didn't fall in love with was you were resistant
on the idea of selling them individually
because you were adamant the fact
they have to go in packs of three.
- I believe I mentioned that this is how I wanted to try it.
- Sure.
But it's three times harder to sell a pack
than it is as an individual item.
- Yes. Yes.
♪ ♪
- [sighs]
Right, all of you, it's been amazing to see
your journeys to get here.
There's $250,000 on the line.
That's a huge amount of money.
We can't take all of you through to the finale.
- So here's what happens now.
I'll be selecting one member from my team
to promote to the final.
And Gordon will be promoting one member from his team.
♪ ♪
The person I want to promote
straight through to the final stage is...
[suspenseful music]
♪ ♪
Roman.
Congratulations, Roman.
[triumphant music]
♪ ♪
- Thank you.
- The person that I want to put through
to the finale is...
[suspenseful music]
♪ ♪
Ali.
Congratulations.
You chose me from day one, and now I choose you.
- [gasps] Thank you.
Thank you so much. - Well done.
- [bleep]. Thank you.
- We're not done yet.
There is still one more place left in the finale.
The problem is, Lisa and I have to do something
that we've never done before, and that's agree on one of you
to join Roman and Ali in the finale.
- The entrepreneur that we have agreed
to promote to the final is...
♪ ♪