Details About Pie Wine From Shark Tank
Wine and pizza just go together. Think of them as the cheesier, boozier equivalent of peanut butter and jelly. The sweet fruit flavors of a nice glass of wine help enhance the richness of the cheese and tomatoes. However, there's never really been a wine that seems to cater solely to just the flavor profile of pizza, leaving it a bit of a guessing game for diners to find the perfect pair. Pie Wines wants to change that.
The company is marketing its canned packages of wine as the ultimate pairing to that Saturday pizza party you've been meaning to throw. With that in mind, Pie Wines has gone on "Shark Tank," trying to get one of the sharks to invest in their product. As any "Shark Tank" viewer knows, it's not easy being an investor entering the tank. For every success story you see, there are also several food inventions that flopped along the way. Does Pie Wines have what it takes to go up against the likes of Mark Cuban, Lori Greiner, and Kevin O'Leary? Time will tell. But so far, Pie Wines appears to be taking the small steps forward to build its brand recognition. Here's the story so far.
The story behind Pie Wines
Pie Wines was dreamed up by two friends — Kevin Klein and Joshua Green. The idea for the product struck the two California residents after they searched for the best beverage to pair with pizzas. While there are plenty of cocktails to go with different kinds of pizza, Kevin Klein and Joshua Green realized that there wasn't a particular brand that filled this niche. Additionally, pizza happens to be a beloved food for the two friends and entrepreneurs, so it's very much passion meets business.
As far as the beverages themselves, Kevin Klein and Joshua Green are taking things one step further than simply packaging quality California wine into cans. Pie Wines are carbonated, which gives the bubbly an extra fizz to enjoy with your pizza pairing. Before launching the product online, the duo actually debuted their beverage at an international pizza conference in Las Vegas – a great way to win over some pizza aficionados in the process. While many may not have heard of Pie Wines until "Shark Tank," the brand has been slowly building a niche for itself online. However, the company has already received some attention thanks to Kevin Klein's presence.
Kevin Klein is a local celebrity
If you live in California, then you may be familiar with Kevin Klein, or at least his voice. In addition to being an entrepreneur, he also works as a morning radio personality on 106.7 KROQ in Los Angeles, where he covers a variety of topics. While Kevin Klein has mostly kept his ventures with Pie Wines separate from his day job, the radio co-host did take a moment to shamelessly plug his spot on "Shark Tank."
During one of his radio shows, Kevin Klein shared the news while also keeping the product a secret. Surprise, it's Pie Wines. "I've been keeping this in for over a year, and it hasn't been easy," he said while on the air (via Audacy). "I can confirm that I will be joining the Sharks on The Season Premiere, but for a variety of legal reasons, I can't say much more than that."
You can expect that Kevin Klein will be more talkative about his experience on "Shark Tank" in the future. Could we one day see a shark, like Mr. Wonderful, guest appear on the radio show? Besides his hosting duties, Kevin Klein has proven to be an inventor of several other products. Pie Wines certainly isn't his first creative venture.
Best day of Kevin Klein's life
While some may think the birth of a child or the day one marries a spouse as one of the best days ever, Kevin Klein instead marks the launch of Pie Wines among his best. In an Instagram post, he shared with his followers, "They say the birth of a child is the greatest day of your life, but this was way better. Meet @PieWines." Humorous piece of marketing, or a candid moment of truth? You be the judge.
However, Kevin Klein has also publicly shared moments from his family life as well. Married in 2012, he also has two young daughters at home, who he often posts humorous pictures with. Take the picture of Kevin Klein's daughter presented like a Thanksgiving turkey for his unusual brand of joking around. In a more professional sense, Pie Wines is sort of like Kevin Klein's baby too, in that he's spent a lot of time building it to fruition. His journey to market the brand has taken him to pizza conventions where he has even had the opportunity to pose with the Pillsbury Dough Boy.
Pie Wines has built a social media presence
Both Kevin Klein and Joshua Green have certainly embraced the humor of their product, taking things light and breezy. In online marketing, Pie Wines is referred to as "pizza's new side piece." Pie Wines has been marketing itself consistently through social media, utilizing platforms like Instagram. The imagery is eye-popping, to say the least, using a font and style that would be appropriate for skateboard graffiti. The colors make the ads stand out, using the actual color scheme that appears on eye-catching Pie Wine cans.
One tactic the company's marketing has adopted is showing the many different venues where one can enjoy a cold, refreshing Pie Wine (with your pizza, of course). For instance, social media posts show people with their portable wine cans anywhere from outdoor theater venues to poolside. Through its viral marketing strategy, the brand is attempting to partner with local pizzerias to showcase its product too. While it may be a while (if ever) until you see Pie Wines at Dominos or Pizza Hut, the brand has already caught the attention of some.
Pie Wines comes in three distinct flavors
As of right now, Pie Wine is sold in three distinct flavors — sweet wine, red wine, and white wine. The red wine seemingly pairs better with heavier pizzas — think: a meat lover's pie, where pepperoni and sausage compete for your taste buds. Meanwhile, the sweet wine goes better with lighter pizzas, such as those that are more veggie-focused. Finally, for those enjoying a pizza topped brightly with fresh thyme, the dry white wine might be the best drink of choice.
Currently, Pie Wines is selling its wines through its online store. Customers can choose between buying a four-pack for $20 or a 12-pack for $60. Given the reach that "Shark Tank" has, if you're interested in trying the product, then you should hurry. Many products see an after-show boom in popularity, causing them to go on backorder. Who knows what the future may hold for Pie Wines and its aim to be one of the best products we've seen on the show. One thing's for certain, though — the product is trying to take a slice out of the alcohol and beverage industry.
What happened to Pie Wines on Shark Tank?
During Kevin Klein and Joshua Green's appearance on "Shark Tank," the business partners pitched their wine to the investors, claiming that their product was "born in Italy, perfected in California." While people may think that beer is pizza's perfect pairing, the flavor combination isn't ideal. Traditionally, pizza is best accompanied by a Lambrusco, which is a slightly sparkling wine with a subtle sweetness.
This concept went over well, with the Sharks enjoying the flavors of the red, white, and sweet wines. Green also got personal during the pitch, revealing that his wife has cancer and explaining that this venture is an opportunity to be in business with his childhood best friend. When it came down to business, though, it was difficult to find the right fit.
Kevin O'Leary is usually the Shark interested in wines due to his other business dealings in that space. Unfortunately, he was the first one out, explaining that he was working on his own line of sparkling wines. Similarly, Mark Cuban cited a conflicting beverage company as his reason for bowing out. Daymond John cited a crowded market. Lori Greiner questioned the branding, while Sprinkles Cupcakes co-founder Candace Nelson felt the product was a little too niche. Despite having distribution in 8 states and projecting $6.5 million in sales by the end of the year, Klein and Green walked away without a deal.