15x08 - Episode 8

[bunniefuu]

Narrator: Tonight
on "Shark t*nk"...

Sharks, who doesn't
love a cheesy love story?

If you draggin' a wagon,

I mean, if you really sluggin'
back there, don't worry.

There's got to be a product
that solves this problem.

I don't really
understand the product.

What are the sales
today? $8,000.

Why are you not
making money? Let it go.

There are only a few
moments that you get like this.

For 3%, you could lose this.

I think Emma's wonderful,
but she's greedy.

I'll be greedy for you, too.

No one has had the courage
to talk about on "Shark t*nk"...

Oh, my goodness.
Wait, wait, wait.

Wait. Oh.

♪♪

Narrator: First in the
t*nk is a modern product

made in traditional
artisanal ways.

♪♪

Hi, Sharks. I'm Fred Zwar.

And I'm Kirsten Maitland,
and we're from Austin, Texas.

We're seeking $750,000 in
exchange for 5% of our company.

Herjavec: Wow. Sharks, who
doesn't love a cheesy love story?

Boy falls in love.

Because girl is awesome.

But also, the boy's a
romantic who loves to create

these impressive
European-style picnics.

Which girl loves.

However, that meant the
foundation of our relationship

relied on one very
important thing.

Cheese! Cheese!

But then, uh-oh,
the girl goes vegan.

Uh-oh again, boy goes vegan.

And with no truly premium

gourmet charcuterie-style
cheeses on the market...

Boy and girl go into
business together and create...

Rebel Cheese! Rebel Chees!

The artisan vegan cheese company

that is inviting vegans
back to the picnic again.

We create real cheese
but made only from plants.

And just like with love,
there is no shortcut.

We spent years mastering the
artisan cheesemaking techniques,

such as culturing
and cave aging,

to create the most
perfect textures and flavors

that will fool even the most
committed cheese lover.

Imagine a creamy
rinded Brie with a true rind,

a tangy sharp cheddar
smoked with real mesquite chips.

And with over 20 different
varieties of cheese,

we're here to revolutionize
the vegan cheese game.

So, Sharks, who's ready to
write their own cheesy love story

and take a bite out of the
vegan cheese market with...

Rebel Cheese? Rebel Chees?

Herjavec: We got to
try it. Grede: I am. I am.

Cuban: Yeah, I'm
hungry and ready to try it.

And, Sharks, in front of you,

you have our five
top-selling SKUs.

We have our Brie.

We have our Honee
Pistachio Chèvre,

Sundried Tomato
Fromage, sharp cheddar,

and also our pimento. Ooh!

Oh, my God, that's so
good. The pimento is wow!

O'Leary: Is it primarily cashew,

or have you used multiple
plant-based solutions?

We do multiple.

What sets us apart
is our techniques.

So we actually have caves
that we cave-age the Brie in.

Wow. The Brie is incredible.

Thank you, and it's
just four ingredients.

O'Leary: Okay. It's cashews,
water, salt, and culture.

So it's super clean.

Oh, my God.

That Sundried Tomato
Fromage is fabulous.

Really good. O'Leary:
I've tried them all.

And I'm a huge cheese guy.
The cheddar is incredible.

I'm a huge wine guy.
So I'm very sensitive.

The one you nailed
it on is the Brie.

There is no way to tell the
difference. Maitland: Thank you.

I mean, these are interesting,
but the texture's, like,

pretty similar on
all of them, right?

It's kind of very
mushy and pasty.

The texture is
throwing me a little bit.

Kirsten, are you the only one
that makes a vegan cheese?

No. Greiner: No.

To this level. Standard.

There aren't many people

that are making artisan
vegan cheese at scale.

There's no one making
vegan Brie at scale.

We just built our
new production facility.

We can make 8 million
wheels a year there.

Wow. So, guys, you came
in with a pretty punchy ask.

So explain to us the
business model today.

Yes. So we have
three different channels

that we're selling in currently.

We have our e-commerce,
which is through subscription.

That entails about


We also have our
wholesale program,

which is about


and then our restaurant,
that is 65% of our business.

Oh, that's interesting.
Herjavec: A single location?

Yes, a single location.

Cuban: What's the
restaurant? Rebel Cheese.

So, during COVID,
we had to pivot,

like every other
restaurant in America.

We pivoted to
e-commerce to start with,

and that started taking off.

And now we're in
about 100 retailers.

Any of the large majors,
like Whole Foods? Not yet.

They reached out to
us in the beginning,

but we weren't ready for them.

Those 100 retailers... Good
for you for recognizing that.

O'Leary: What's
the price of this

versus a traditional
wheel of high-end Brie?

So it costs us about
$4.67 to make that.

And that's after
overhead and labor.

We then landed at
the retailer for about $9,

and then we have an MSRP
about $15 to $20 per wheel.

How does that compare
with real cheese?

Real cheese is anywhere
between $10 to $20.

So we're right there with them.

Fred, what are the sales today?

So our last year of
sales were $2.5 million.

This year, we're projecting
to make $3.5 million.

O'Leary: What will
this whole thing make

if you hit the $3.5
million pretax this year

after you pay yourselves?

So we've been
profitable for four years.

That's what also sets us apart.

What are you going to
make this year? Wow.

This year we're hoping to
break even, to be honest with you,

because scaling.
Because of the factory.

Next year, we want
to be in 500 stores,

which will put us
about $7 million

just in our
distribution revenue.

I'm trying to get my
head around the deal,

because the differentiation
for Rebel Cheese

is this extraordinary
leap forward in Brie.

And yet you're asking...
$15 million valuation.

I think you asked
for too much money.

If anybody here should
invest in this, it's me.

But I'm out.

Alright, I'll offer
you 750K for 10%.

Oh.

Greiner: Wait.
What do you think?

Wait, wait.

Oh. Wait, wait, wait.

Narrator: One Shark is out.

Fred and Kirsten have an
offer on the table from Mark

for their vegan cheese
company, Rebel Cheese,

but Lori also seems interested.

Wait, wait, wait.

Oh. Wait, wait, wait.

I just have to jump in.
She loves the cheese.

I have to jump in and
say something. My God.

I did a deal with Boarderie.

We are surpassing, by Christmas,

$30 million in retail
sales within one year.

We make the most fabulous
cheese and charcuterie boards

that you can imagine.

And we have no vegan cheese.

I'm happy to go in with Mark
if Mark wants to go in with me.

We can do that. I'm
not your customer.

I'm not a big cheese
guy, so I'm going to be out.

Thank you. We really
appreciate it. Thank you so much.

Guys, I'll make this really
nice and easy for you.

I'm going out.

To me, I don't really
understand the product.

Yeah. I don't think it's as amazing
as everybody's talking about.

I don't get it. Apparently
Mark and Lori do.



Would you guys be
willing to drop down to 6%?

No.

You're getting two of
us. You get two of us.

A million for 10%?

[ Laughs ] Oh.

You get two of us.
You get two of us.

You can't hire... Costs more than
that to hire us. Come on, you guys.

Yeah.

So another thing that
we'd be looking for

is help with our distribution.

We'd be also looking
for a spokesperson.

We'd be looking for somebody
to help us with marketing.

Yeah, look, I'll even commit.

I'll go to a grocery store in
Austin and hand out samples.

[ Laughs ] Okay.

That sounds awesome. Alright.

I already have
Boarderie, where, boom,

we sell to millions of people,

and this would go right
into our line like that.

What do you think?

Would you guys be
willing to do 7.5%?

No. [ Laughter ]

Greiner: Don't lose this.
Fred, let it go. Let it go.

Well, you know, for




Do you want to
talk about it? Yeah.

Can we have a
second to talk about it?

Greiner: Yeah. Sure.

Okay.

O'Leary: Guys, guys,
before you leave,

let me just say something.
In "Shark t*nk" lore.

I've been around here so long.

I'm the vampire
on the set, okay?


on "Shark t*nk."

There are only a few moments
in your life you get like this.

You made it on "Shark
t*nk." That's impossible to do.

You have an offer
from two Sharks

who are passionate
about your business

and give you
enhanced distribution.

And you're worried
about 2% or 3%.

You don't need to walk anywhere.

You'd be out of your
you-know-what minds

not to take that deal.

And this isn't even my deal.

I'm just saying,
this is your moment.

What the [bleep] are you doing?

[ Laughter ] Let's do it.

I almost never agree with him.

But what he said, for reals.

♪♪

Thank you. We'll
accept the deal.

Yay! Yay!

You can thank me now, Mark.

Thanks so much. Oh, thank you.

Well done, man. Oh, my God.

So exciting. Thank you.

It's really exciting.
Thank you so much.

Appreciate it. Yeah.

So good. Well done.
Congratulations.

Whew! [ Chuckles ]

Very excited to work
with Mark and Lori.

The part that really got me...

I don't know about
Kirsten, per se...

Is where Mark even said
he'll come down to Austin

to hand out samples.

Yeah, we were like,
"Done," after that. Yeah.

I think Mark one day will learn

you don't have to
buy the company.

You can just buy the
product. Just be a customer.

Just buy the cheese.

It's more fun when I
get to say, "But it's mine."

Narrator: In Season 11,
Sarah Paiji Yoo and Syed Naqvi

made a deal with Kevin O'Leary

for their eco-friendly cleaning
product company, Blueland.

Done. Whoo!

Narrator: Let's see
what they're up to now.

Paiji Yoo: Our mission at
Blueland is to make it easy

for everyone to make
more sustainable choices

with products that eliminate
single-use plastic packaging.

We built the foundation of
our online business on Shopify.

The platform made it really
easy to upload a new image

and change the copy of the text,

and we could do all
that with no engineers.

When our episode aired,

we got more traffic than we
could have ever imagined,

and we did not have to worry
about our site going down.

It continued running as
beautifully as it ever had.

Naqvi: Before "Shark
t*nk," we were in business

for less than two months,

and our sales were
around $200,000.

Since closing our
deal four years ago,

we have done
$170 million in sales.

We're now in Costco,
Target, Erewhon,

and most recently we've launched
nationwide into Whole Foods.

One of the best
ways that we found

at attracting new
customers at retail

is with our plastic swaps.

We invite people to bring
in their cleaning products

and trade it for
one of our products

that can be reused forever.

This is one of the things where
Kevin has gone above and beyond.

He actually held on to all of
his single-use plastic waste

and then decided to wear it

to show how much
single-use plastic

a single person generates.

O'Leary: There's a
whole generation of people

that don't want to throw
plastic out anymore,

and Blueland solved the problem.

They have the
best of both worlds.

They have
direct-to-consumer business

that's huge and growing,

and retailers are
begging for their product.

Blueland is now a brand.

Celebrating our
five-year anniversary,

Shopify has invited
us to show us

some of their newest
and greatest features.

Shopify has been
an incredible asset

to small businesses everywhere,

and we would not have been
able to create a business of our size

at the speed that
we were able to do

without a partner like Shopify.

Using the Shop app
is such a great way

to connect with more
customers for your business.

There's a new feature...
We add Shop Cash

right on the front page,
so you can click here

and see exactly how
much you have to spend.

We are a one-of-a-kind product,

and Shopify enables us to
really customize the experience

so that our brand and our
mission really shine through.

We each do have the power
to go out and make it happen

and to make a difference.

Being a mother, I think
it's especially meaningful

building this business.

My children were honestly
the original inspiration

for wanting to create
a cleaner planet.

We've already helped eliminate

over a billion single-use
plastic cleaning bottles

from oceans and landfills,

and we're just getting started.

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator: Next up is a backup
for emergency situations.

♪♪

Hello, Sharks. My
name is Ashlee Turner.

I'm from Compton, California,

and I am seeking $80,000
for 10% of my business.

Now, ladies, has Aunt Flo
ever come unexpectedly

and left a total
Picasso in your panties?

Oh. Or you could be
out with your friends,

laughing, having a great time.

[ Laughs ] You tinkle a little.

And now you're forced to
walk around with a leaky teaky.

[ Laughs ] Or it gets
really hot outside

and it gets even hotter below.

Sharks, for these
unexpected moments...

Or as I would like to call
them, panty plot twists...

Allow me to introduce
you to The Pocket Panty.

The Pocket Panty is a quick,
discreet, and comfortable option

for whenever you're
in a panty pinch.

The Pocket Panty comes
individually wrapped

in its own package.

The Pocket Panty
is no granny panty.

The Pocket Panty is comfortable,
stylish, plus it's reusable.

Now, The Pocket Panty
is a one size fits most.

But listen, sis, if you
draggin' a wagon,

I mean, if you really sluggin'
back there, don't worry.

I got you.

The Pocket Panty
Plus is coming soon.

For women by women,

The Pocket Panty
empowers all women

to view the occasional
need for an emergency panty

as a part of life and not a
source of stress or humiliation.

So there's literally no need
to get your panties in a bunch,

'cause I got your booty covered.

So, Sharks, who's ready to
pair up with The Pocket Panty?

In front of you, you can find
your own pair of Pocket Panties

to check it out for yourself.

Great presentation.
Yeah, great job.

Thank you. So cute.

Greiner: They're very nice.

They remind me
of a very big brand.

It has the same feel.
It has the same stretch.

It's very thin.

It probably doesn't show
panty lines. Mm-hmm.

And so you're trying to find
a generic that'll work for all

because this is
an emergency item.

Correct. Did you do
any type of research

to see how many people would
be picking up something in a pinch?

Well, I did. I did
my own research.

I literally, like... And I
don't want this to sound silly,

but I went to schools.

I gave out so many samples
of panties, asked feedback...

"Try these on. Tell
me what you think.

Do you need it?" And
everyone says, "Oh, my God,

I would love to have this
in my glove compartment."

What are your sales, Ashlee?

So I launched at
the end of 2021.

In September


which recouped
back my investment.

Dollars? Dollars? $8,000.

$8,000? So, Ashlee, before
you get into all the details,

tell us about you. Yeah.

Turner: Sure. When
I was in college,

I started working in a
real-estate company,

got my license, and
I became the closer.

So I would go out for other
agents who had a tough deal.

I tend to be a little bit
more relatable to people,

so it was easy for me to close.

So I would close my own deals,

and I would be closing
all the agents in the office.

I would be closing 20
deals. Always be closing.

Always be closing...
ABC. Greiner: Yeah.

So I left and I went back to
what I knew, which was sales,

but this one right here,
this is my purpose.

How did we get to the
panty? Grede: Exactly.

So what happened here is I
went through a crummy breakup,

as most of these stories start.

I went and got this big
dumb apartment in downtown,

and I was like, "How
am I gonna pay for this?"

And then at that very
moment, heard God say,

"The best ideas
come out of necessity."

And I worked in
property management,

so I would see the
residents come down.

I'm talking to a girl.

She's like, "Oh, I met
this guy on Bumble.

And, you know, last night

was the first night I
decided to spend the night."

And I said, "Oh, really?"
She starts laughing.

I said, "What are
you laughing at?"

She goes, "I just stuffed
some panties in my bag."

And I said, "Oh, girl,
you're my customer.

You are my customer."

And that was it.

And what does one cost, and
what does it cost you to make?

When I first launched,
I was new, I was green,

and I was ordering
in small quantities.

So I negotiated
$2.20 for a pair.

I sell them for $10.

O'Leary: 10 bucks? And
retail? What about wholesale?

Retail, wholesale, 5 bucks.

For the whole
package? No, for one.



Grede: Where do you make
them? I make them in China.

And where are you
selling right now?

I sell online. I'm in
several boutiques.

I'm in all-girls
private schools.

I'm in some vending
machines. And it's great.

Like, the need is there.

Why don't I just
go buy five pair

and stuff one, just like
your friend did, in my purse?

Why "Shark t*nk," Ashlee?

Well, so this is
like a dream, like,

that I could have
never imagined.

Full transparency,
I'm a black woman,

and we don't get this
many opportunities.

Since 2018, black women
businesses have tripled,

yet we get 0.27% of
venture capital dollars.

We don't get
these opportunities.

So this is like...

Whatever the outcome is today,

I'm doing it for other
women that look just like me

that just don't get this...

This is surreal.

Oh, good for you. You
said you did $8,000.

That was in '21. So
where are you now?

Paint the picture for
us. That was in 2021.

My total sales are $60,000.

$60,000.

Ashlee, do you do
anything on social media?

So...

Social media is just not
my wheelhouse, so again...

Because you're a star.

You come up with all
these great sayings, right?

Herjavec: Yeah. That
is what would sell.

Grede: What do you mean it's
not your wheelhouse? At your age.

Come on, now.
You're a salesperson.

Greiner: Honestly, Ashlee,
I just personally think

there are better people
on this panel here

to help you with this
product than myself.

I wish you good
luck. I will purchase.

But unfortunately, I'm out.

Look, you are a powerhouse.

There's nothing about you

that doesn't instill
confidence in me,

but the aura and
the energy of Ashlee

doesn't match the sales.

And I'm trying to
understand why.

Because I don't think there
isn't anything you would do

not to get sales. Sure.

So I worry...
Except social media.

Herjavec: Well, maybe.

I'm trying.

For me... Uh-huh.

it's a good product,

but I think the sales are
telling me it's not selling,

'cause if anybody
can sell it, you could.

Fair enough. But
let me tell you.

Let me give you something else.

For me, I'm out. Fair.

But you got three other Sharks.

Ashlee, the hard
part about this product

is the impulse buy, right,

being there when they need it,

unless you make them
think about it in advance.

And that's the point of
social media. Mm-hmm.

You giving the exact same
pitch you gave us on TikTok,

on Instagram, and then
saying, "Buy it at wherever,"

or, "Buy it on my website,"
that is what sells this product.

You are a great salesperson,

but the only place that
that's going to come across

and allow you to sell your
product is on social media.

And because that's the one
spot that you won't go, I'm out.

O'Leary: I've been
listening to your presentation.

This product's too
expensive. Okay.

And I'm not a panty expert,
but I know pricing. Sure.

I'm sorry, Ashlee. I'm out.

Okay.

Greiner: Well, you have one
left. Herjavec: Emma's still in it.

Emma?

You know, Ashlee,
I really like you.

You are an excellent saleswoman.

And the idea that you
are just not tearing it up

on social media is
almost maddening to me,

because it's like, if anyone
can sell this product, it's you.

You are it.

You told us as you came
out here why we all need this.

And I was like, "Oh,
yeah, absolutely.

I want to go back to SKIMS now

and put a pair of panties
in a pack and sell them."

And that is your big problem,

because any of the big
underwear companies out there

can take what they
do with all of their scale

and offer you this at
what you want to pay for it,

which is $3.99, right?

That's what I really
want to pay for this.

I think that's your big issue.

But I don't want
to dissuade you,

because you will be successful.

But you've got to
actually take this

and go one step further.

For me right now, this
is... No, Emma, no, no, no.

No, no, no, it's not an
investable opportunity

for me right now.

But that doesn't mean to
say that you can't get it there.

You've got some
more work to do. Sure.

You've got to convince
every woman in this country

that she actually needs
to go out and order this

and keep three pairs
just for safekeeping.

Once you've done that,
you'll be off to the races.

Does it... But for
those reasons, I'm out.

We wish you good
luck. Best of luck, Ashlee.

Grede: Best of luck.
Thank you guys so much.

Cuban: Good luck, Ashlee.
Congrats. This is, like, beyond anything

I could have ever imagined
for myself. You're amazing.

You're amazing. You
really are. Thank you guys.

Thank you. Good luck.

Although I'm walking
out without a deal,

I got excellent advice
from the Sharks.

And this is just the beginning.

I'm going to take
the Sharks' feedback.

And what's next is
to get on social media.

Wow. I don't want
to go on social media,

but I guess that's what's next.

This is your standard dead bolt.

While it may feel
secure when you lock it,

an experienced intruder
can get in in about five kicks.

Alex, show them
how easy this is.

Come on, Alex, kick it hard.

[ Chuckles ]

They tried to kick down
the non-HAVEN locked door.

And they tried.

Cuban: Alex, Alex!
Come on, Alex, kick it.

[ Grunts ] How much you
sell the dead locks for?

[ Laughter ]

The sweat's pouring
down his face.

[ Laughter ]

Oh! Oh!

There you go.

He's getting mad now.

[ Laughter ]

[ Cheering ]

He finally got it.

That's right, baby!

♪♪

Narrator: Next into the
t*nk is a way to safely travel

with precious cargo.

♪♪

Hi, Sharks. My name
is Ryan Neergaard.

And this is my business
partner, Ron Scharman,

and we're from Napa, California.

Hey, Sharks, we're
here seeking $500,000

for an 8% stake in our company.

Wow.

Ron, you can go anywhere
in the world on vacation,

where do you go?
That's easy, Ryan.

Even though I live in
beautiful Napa Valley,

I would vacation in a
place filled with vineyards

as far as the eye can see,

where they make some of
the world's greatest wines.

That place is Bordeaux, France.

That's amazing.

And I bet you like to bring home

some of those expensive
wines when you go, don't you?

Absolutely, Ryan.

But, you know,
Sharks, it's not easy

transporting my wine
babies back home.

Hey, Ryan, what do most people
do when they travel with wine?

Most people have very expensive

and very limited options
when they travel with wine.

A lot of people even wrap
their wine in dirty underwear

when they fly.

Then we all go to the airport

and have the same
fear of this happening.

♪♪

No! There goes your wine babies.

There's got to be a better way.

And there is.

The solution is FlyWithWine
and the VinGardeValise.

The VinGardeValise
is a wine suitcase

that allows you to check
your wine right on the airplane.

It comes in three
colors and three sizes...


and 5-bottle.

But wait, Sharks. There's more.

Meet the VinXplorer wine
and beverage backpack.

It comes with a 1.5-liter
bladder and spout

so you can take your
favorite beverages on the go

wherever you go.

It's a party on your back.

And our products are made
by wine lovers for wine lovers.

But you don't have
to be a wine aficionado

to enjoy our products.

Both the inserts and the
bladders can be easily removed

so that our products can be
used as everyday luggage, too.

So, alright, Sharks, who's
ready to help us... Ship...

And sip our way to "grape"
returns with FlyWithWine?

Greiner: Oh, good job.
Cuban: Oh, my God, that's good.

Herjavec: That
was a great pitch!

That's funny as hell. Hey!

So we have a few things for you
guys to check out in front of you.

Primarily want
to bring attention

to our flagship product,
the VinGardeValise,

which is the suitcase
next to you on your right.

So the VinGardeValise,
what you're looking at

is the Piccolo, which is
a five-bottle unit carrier.

Gotcha. When you open
that up, you have the inserts,

and all of the inserts
can come out. Oh, I see.

So you can also use
it as a normal suitcase.

Greiner: That's really genius.
Oh, so this whole thing comes out.

The suitcase will
get you to Hawaii,

and the backpack will
get you to the beach.

[ Laughs ] Gotcha. Okay.

Oh. Each one of you, we've
prepared a special drink...

Oh, there's something in it. because we heard
that there's a drink you might like to enjoy,

and you're going to just
put both fingers on both sides

and push just like this.

O'Leary: Oh, check it out.

Grede: Oh, I've
got a glass of rosé.

Cabernet Sauvignon.
From Napa, California.

Espresso martini. Greiner: Wow!

Lori, cheers. Cheers, darling.

Oh, my God. Yes, Kevin. I'm
really impressed. Oh, my God.

We all have to stand up
and do a tradition. Cheers.

One, two, three.

Together: Chevaliers
du Tastevin!

Greiner: Thank you very much.

Scharman: And that's why
it's a party on the back. Ahhh!

Y Chihuahua, caramba.
That's good. Ahhhh!

Ryan, you know, after 15 years,

what people have learned is,

if you give the Sharks some
alcohol, the pitch goes better.

Mama didn't raise no fool.

[ Laughter ]

Listen, wine dudes, we
have a question here.

Very important... $500,000, 8%.

That's $6.25 million
valuation. Right.

Why is this luggage
company/ wine boozery

worth $6 million-plus?

Well, that's a great
question. I think it is.

And the answer is that we've
done $19 million to date...

Greiner: What?! Ooh!
selling our product.

And 50,000 travelers
have bought the suitcases,

traveling hundreds of thousands
of miles. Herjavec: Are you kidding?

We started at the end of 2016.

So tell us about
the last 12 months.

Yeah, tell us year to date. Well,
last year, we did $5.6 million.

And we were about -$47 million.

This year year to date?

Year to date, we're
doing $2.3 million.

And we're... so far, and
we've lost around $100,000.

Is it all advertising money?

Yeah, we spent a lot
of money on advertising.

Last year, we spent about
$400,000 on $5.6 million.

You've done amazing.

You've done millions and
millions of dollars. Yes. Yes.

Why are you not making
money? That's a good question.

Well, it's a great question.

We continually reinvested in
our business hiring good people.

We take salaries. Yeah.

We have good benefits.

And we we plow our money
back into the company.

What are your salaries?
What are your salaries?

Salaries are $150,000 each.

So, where's the
money going, right?

So there's only a couple places

you can spend that
much revenue, right?

Yeah, there's something
called COVID that happened.

So last year, we had...
Alright, fair enough.

You know, we had a lot
of non-recurring expenses

that we're not going
to have this year.

Year to date, the first four
months, we lost $100,000

because we went to about


It's very heavy expense side.

So, I mean, the
marketing that we spend

is really on building and
expanding our business.

We have a philosophy
which is important

about trying to use one pool of
inventory for multiple channels.

So how much do
you have in inventory?



Ron, tell me, how did
you come up with this?

I'm really curious to understand

the origin story
a little bit more.

It was 2015.

I went on a trip to
Burgundy with my wife,

went to some great wineries,

and every place
we went, we said,

"We want to ship the wine home."

They said, "Well, you can
take the wine physically yourself

and bring it to Mail
Box Etc in Beaune,

a little village in Burgundy."

And so ultimately
that's what we did.

We shipped it back
home. It took 45 days.

Wow. Who knows what
happened to the quality of the wine?

But I decided, there's got to be
a product out there somewhere

that solves this problem.

And so I researched it, and
I found a guy in New Mexico

who'd come up with the idea
of version one of the suitcase.

And so I was able to negotiate,
eventually, a deal with him

for exclusivity in
the wine industry.

And so at that point, I
reached out to Ryan,

who used to work for
me at a prior company.

And we started the company. So, Ron, you're
licensing this idea from someone else.

This is not actually your
product and your idea.

Well, it's our product.

So, we have an investor who's
our manufacturer, our importer

and manages our supply chain.

She bought out the
original inventor, all the IP,

all the assets, and everything.

She then invested
in our company,

owns 20% of our company,
so it's a strategic investment.

There's no other financial
relationship with her,

just straight 20%? Just 20%.

She doesn't allow anybody
else to use the patent

or to make this product?

We have exclusivity worldwide.

Does your company
own the patent,

or does she own the patent?

She owns the patent
on the suitcase.

We jointly applied this year
for the patent on the backpack.

How long is the
agreement in place for?



What happens at the end?

There's an evergreen
thing that allows us to renew,

I mean, at that point in time.

What does it cost you to
make, and what do you sell it for?

What a great question.

The Grande 12-bottle is $379.95.

The eight-bottle is $339.95.

And the five-bottle
Piccolo is $289.95.

It's reasonable. And the
margins are 60% to 62%.

The backpack
retails for $199.95.

Ooh. It has a 71% margin on it.

About 400 to 500 wineries

carry it in their tasting
room or have bought it.

But, you know,
the last 12 months,

we did $3.4 million on Amazon.

Just on Amazon? Wow.

We sell about... You
know, on our own website,

we do about 13%, 14%, as well.

And then wholesale's about...

This year will be probably


Look, guys, I just think
it's a hard business to scale

to the level of profitability

that makes it work
for me as an investor.

So for those reasons,
I'm out. Alright.

Hey, Ron, just so I'm clear,

you can only buy
the product from her.

Only she can manufacture it.

Yes, only she can
manufacture certain products.

If we come out with a
new product... No, I got it.

But your number-one
product, the suitcase,

you can only buy from her.
Yeah, she manufactures.

In my world, in tech world, I
would call you an integrator

or a VAR, value-added reseller.

There's nothing wrong with that.

The problem is, as an investor,

I don't think you're
going to scale to the point

where I'm going to
make my money back.

So somebody would
have to sell the business,

and it goes back
to the problem...

You actually aren't aligned
with the people that own your IP.

As long as she's
making the stuff

and you guys are holding
inventory, she's making money.

You only make it
on the sell-through.

Great business for
you guys. Keep going.

And I appreciate the drink,
but as an investment, I'm out.

Appreciate the comments.

To me, there does feel
like there's real disalignment

between you and
your primary investor.

What you should have done
is tried to reduce the complexity

before coming in here
and talking to us. Mm-hmm.

So for that reason, I'm out.
But I wish you the best of luck.

Okay. Thank you.

You've had such
magnificent sales.

You've done such great
traction. I see the need for it.

But there's something going on

as to why you're not
actually making more money

to the bottom line,
more profitable.

And that concerns me.

And so I'm so
sorry, but I'm out.

Thank you. Thank you.

So, guys, let me explain
why this is a difficult deal

from a different perspective.

In nature, very
successful parasites

never k*ll their host.

Your manufacturer is a
parasite, and you're the host.

And she controls how much
money you make every year.

What you could be doing
and what I would be doing

is be looking for a
different price point on these

and probably find a
way to save 15%, 20%.

But I can't because the IP
is tied to the manufacturing,

and I understand the
symbiotic parasitic relationship,

but it's going to
make it impossible

to get an investor for $500,000.

You know, that's a
lot of dough. Right.

And I'd like to... I got
to make back $5 million.

I mean, after all, I'm
an investor and I don't...

There's no way to get it back.

You'd have to sell the
company for 150 million bucks.

Well, you could make it as
part of a royalty deal, as well.

You get your money back earlier.

Yeah, I thought
about that, believe me.

[ Laughs ]

I don't like being
beholden to a parasite.

I'm the parasite.

[ Laughter ] Herjavec: Oh.

That's true. Truer words
have never been spoken.

Ever, ever, ever, ever.
Ever on "Shark t*nk."

Guys, thank you
very much. I'm out.

Okay. Thank you, though, guys.

Thank you guys. Congrats, guys.

Good luck with everything.
It was a great presentation.

Good luck, both of you.
Scharman: Thank you.

Neergaard: You want to
walk out of here with a deal,

but at the end of the day, they
made some really good points

that we're going to be able to
go back, adjust our company.

We're gonna apply this and
we're gonna be stronger than ever.

So we're not deterred in
any way, shape, or form.

♪♪

Narrator: Next up is a solution

for a persistent
problem for women.

♪♪

Hi, Sharks. I'm Taylor.

And I'm Casey.

And we're here
today to talk to you

about something very serious.

Something women are
suffering in silence over.

Something no one
has had the courage

to talk about on
"Shark t*nk" until now.

We're talking about NFO.

Both: Nipple freak-out!

[ Laughter ]

Sharks, when those
headlights turn on,

sometimes it's
impossible to turn them off.

At the gym, going for a swim.

In the freezer aisle.

Guys, a little background.

Most sports bras and swimsuits

come with foam
pads to prevent NFO,

but one round in
the washing machine,

and those babies are toast
and impossible to get back in.

This left us with two options...
Use adhesive nipple covers

that irritated our skin
and collected lint and dust.

Or wear an actual bra.

But not every
outfit calls for one,

nor does every woman
want to wear one.

Well, now there's
no need to freak out.

Say hello to CAKES Body.

CAKES are reusable,
washable silicone nipple covers

that adhere naturally to
your body heat just like this.

Greiner: Wow. We don't
use any irritating adhesives,

so CAKES are gentle on your skin

and don't rip your nipples
off at the end of the night.

With our signature
patent-pending design,

CAKES are seamless, plus you
can use them till you lose them.

Simply rinse, reuse,
and wear again and again.

And NFO is just the
tip of the iceberg. Ha-ha.

That's why we're seeking
$300,000 for 5% equity.

- Wow. - Hello.
- Hello, girls.

So, Sharks, who wants to
make every day a no-bra day?

Sharks, in front of
you, you have CAKES

in our three signature
sizes... OG, Plus, and Itty Bitty.

But first, Mr. Wonderful,
come on up here.

We want to show
you how to use them.

Absolutely. Grede:
Thank God it's you.

Cuban: Go ahead, Kevin.
Grede: Thank God it's you.

I'm your man. Greiner: Yes!

Grede: Oh, come on.
You come right here.

So, Mr. Wonderful, you
have a beautiful head.

Thank you. I'm sure
you get that a lot.

Well, it's the Dome of Desire.

First of all, do you mind if
we put a CAKE on your head?

No problem. Okay. Thank you.

Everyone said you're
such a good sport, so...

Ta-da!

Greiner: Won't fall off?
O'Leary: Cools the dome.

Greiner: It cools?

We do you recommend
CAKES under snug-fitting tops,

like a bodysuit or a bralette?

Yeah, just in case.

Herjavec: Right. Yeah,
and they're grippy, not sticky.

And as you sweat
and produce body heat,

they actually grip even better.

Thank you so much for being such
a good sport. Thank you, thank you.

They don't call you
Mr. Wonderful for nothing.

Who knew? Herjavec:
They do, actually.

There's no reason.

Greiner: Well, it's
really interesting to me.

I mean, I put on my
arm. It is comfortable.

It's light. I barely feel it.

I have to also ask. Awesome.

I want to know about
you and your backgrounds.

And are you twins?

Yes. We are.

We started our
business very simply.

We were like, "We
need this solution.

Let's see if anyone
else will buy it."

So we both were
working in corporate

for the last 10 years.

Things were going great.

And I don't know if this was a
sign from the universe or what,

but we were both on the verge
of a layoff at the same time.

Greiner and Grede: Wow. And
that was really when we were like,

"Do we want to look for another
job?" The nipple came to the rescue.

Nipple covers. Nipple covers.

That's it. Nipple freak-out.

Who knew it was a big problem?

Grede: But, guys, there's
so much competition.

I really want to know
what makes yours better.

This is a saturated
market. Better than what?

Well, there's everything, right?

There's tape. There's
silicone patches.

There's Band-Aid-type
situations.

Herjavec: Wow. But
what makes this unique?

It's crazy. When
we first started,

there was no one
necessarily owning,

like, the boob accessory
and solution space.

There's a boob accessory space?

There's a boob
solution space. I'm in it.

When we first started,
we designed the solution

that didn't exist for us.

In our case, we wanted
something extremely seamless

that didn't poke
through our clothes.

Typically, what we were
finding on the market

was a lot smaller and thicker.

So ours is thick in the center,

but it tapers to almost
nothing at the edges.

So you get a seam-free
situation. Yeah.

Oh, well, that's a good point. Well, you guys
came in with a $6 million valuation, right?

So you must have sales.
Tell us about the business.

We started with only
$10,000 from our savings,

zero dollars in marketing
our first year, no investors,

and in our first
year of business,

we did $1 million in revenue.

Together: Wow!

Year to date, in the
last five months... Wow.

we've done $1.5 million

and are projecting to
end the year at $5 million.

Wow. Wow!

Good for you two. That's insane.

So you must be
profitable, then, too, right?

We are operating at a


So last year, we did
about 300K in net profit.

And this year, we've
done over 500K.

Good for you two. You're
amazing. Both: Wow.

Tell us how you're selling, then,
yeah. Where are you selling it?

Last year, 90% of our revenue
came from organic TikTok

at a zero-dollar customer
acquisition cost. Good for you.

Wow. Yeah, that is awesome.

Herjavec: That's
incredible. That's amazing.

Guys, let me ask you
a tougher question.

What happens if TikTok
gets shut down or diminished?

Our focus for the first
half of this year was,

how do we diversify
where revenue? Smart.

We were able to take
our winners from TikTok,

put them on paid channels,

and they're extremely
efficient, doing much better.

What's the return?

Our ROAS on paid
ads is over a 5X.

Grede: Wow. Herjavec: 5X?

O'Leary: 5X? Amazing.

So, Taylor, what's
the cost of the product?

Yeah, what is the cost, and
what do you sell them for?

Our costs landed are $8,
and we sell them for $30.

So we're at a 75-ish
percent. Yeah, good for you.

Nice. I want to know,
why do you need a Shark?

We feel like we're
just at the beginning.

We've been able
to get it to this point,

but we're smart enough to
know that we need the expertise

of taking this from a
single-product company

to an actual brand with lasting
power and staying power.

And truly solving problems
that women are facing.

We started with $10,000.

We weren't able to
launch a whole line,

and also, we
wouldn't have known...

You're lucky. That saved you.

Let me give you some
advice. Oh. Thank you.

What I would suggest...
Talk to your customers,

'cause that's what you do best,

and let them tell you
what they're going to buy

and what they're going to order.

You have to always know
what business you're in

and what you're great at,

and you're great at marketing
on social. Thank you. Thank you.

And so you've got to play that.

Unfortunately... So
many things I could say.

[ Laughter ]

But unfortunately, it's
not really my wheelhouse.

So for those reasons, I'm out.

Thank you. We love
what you do. Thank you.

Thank you so
much. And thank you.

Cuban: Thank you.

What I love about "Shark t*nk"

is you learn about stuff
you didn't even know.

NFO, who knew? Who knew?

Boob accessory market, who knew?

Cuban: Who knew?

Right, I like to think I know
a little bit about everything,

but I may have hit an
industry I know nothing about.

Not for me. I'm out. Thank you.

Thank you so much. We
look up to you so much.

So thank you.
Thank you. Amazing.

Ladies, I actually
think you're more

than just really
good marketeers.

I think that you are really
early in this business,

and I've seen so many businesses

where you get that early
groundswell, you know,

and it's like TikTok's on fire.

But it isn't a business
until you've figured out,

how many ways can
you find that customer?

Yeah. And right now you're
going through one channel.

There's a huge opportunity
for this in wholesale

and more traditional retail

if you choose to
go down that way,

and I think there's a ton
more products you can do.

So with all of that being said,

I'm actually going to
give you guys an offer.

Herjavec: Ooh.

Narrator: Two Sharks are
out, and Emma is interested

in Casey and Taylor's nipple
solution business, CAKES Body.

Grede: You came in
asking for $300,000 for 5%,

and I'll happily
give you $300,000,

but I want 12.5%
of the business.

First of all, we can't thank
you enough for the offer.

You're a queen, our icon.
Lori, also the QVC queen.

Wait a second. What am
I, chopped liver over here?

Mr. Wonderful, the
best sport. Basically.

You're a queen, too, Kevin.

O'Leary: Well, look, I
may have an offer, too,

same time adding a little
boost. You got a great offer, guys.

You have a really good offer.

Wait a second. Let me
put an offer out there

that doesn't cost you as much,
because I find her very greedy.

Okay? 12.5% is
very selfish of her.

What's my name? Mrs.
Grede. Right? Exactly.

So I will offer you the
$300,000 at the 5%.

But if I ever saw a product

that could handle
a royalty, it's this.

So I would like a dollar per set

until I get back
a million bucks.

That's just over 3X
on my investment,

and I'll keep the


you know, help you build it.

We'll sell it one
day to a behemoth.

I think Emma's... she's
wonderful, but she's greedy.

I'll be greedy for you,
too. It's disgusting.



Here's the thing.

I have built
businesses in this space

to be worth billions
and billions of dollars.

You want to build
a giant business,

and I can actually
help you do that.

Not because I'm talking about it,
because I'm doing it... Well... Excuse me.

So what are you
waiting on, guys?

over and over and
over again in this space.

Mr. Wonderful,
thank you so much.

Those are two very
interesting offers.

Where do you see, from a
partnership... Oh, my goodness.

Oh, my gosh. Casey, he
knows nothing. Oh, my goodness.

You're actually asking him
questions? It's a valid question.

When you have
Emma Grede right here,

who's done this multiple
times. Excuse me, Mark.

May I answer?

This is early, to Emma's point.

And so we want to make
sure it's worth your time.

I would love to be able
to just put the money

back into the business
as much as we can

to grow it as much as we can,

so the royalty component
wouldn't work for us.

Why are you still
talking to him, seriously?

No, I'll give you $300,000.
You want to do a deal with him?

Seriously, why are
you still talking to him?

Guys, what are you waiting for?

This is our baby.

Obviously we want to keep
as much equity as we can.

As you should. Would you
be willing to do 300K for 8%?

No.

I'll do 300K for


♪♪

Okay. Done. Whoo!

Herjavec: Wow!
You've got a deal.

Well done, girls. You k*lled it.

Grede: I love it. I cannot
wait. Thank you so much.

This is going to be so
good. You're a queen.

Herjavec: You guys are
amazing. Good luck, guys.

Yay! Thank you so much!

Okay, bye. Bye.

Oh, my God. I can't digest that.

What the [bleep] just happened?

Sarai: Emma is setting
the trends in the industry.

And I think our company
is a perfect complement

to some of the other
things she's working on,

and she is going to help
us blow this out of the water.

I didn't think that plane
was going to land for a while.

I knew it was.

If there was anybody
who was ever a perfect fit

for a business, you're the perfect...
Greiner: You were the perfect partner.

I feel like I'm fitting
perfectly. Yeah.

I'm a boob solution queen. Yeah.

What's incredible,
though, is Kevin thinks

he's the perfect fit
for every business.

That's right. I am.


♪♪

♪♪