What Happened To Grease Bags After Shark Tank?
If you've ever wondered what to do with leftover oil from a fry session — or had to deal with clogged pipes after pouring the oil down the drain — Grease Bags arrived on the scene as the product to solve all your deep-fried problems. LaTangela Newsome, the entrepreneur who pitched Grease Bags on Season 8, Episode 13 of "Shark Tank," walked away with an offer in hand, according to Shark Tank Tales. So, where are Grease Bags now?
Water and oil don't mix, and when excess cooking grease is poured down the drain, it solidifies and picks up other chemicals on its way to the sewer, per Insider. The grease becomes a "fatberg" of solidified oil that can clog drains and entire sewer systems as it travels. These globs of fat and toxins are also released into the environment, polluting waterways and damaging plants and wildlife. Newsome introduced Grease Bags to combat the damage done by improper grease disposal. On "Shark Tank," she touted her compostable, non-toxic, oil-absorbing bags that decompose cooking oil and offer an environmentally friendly way to get rid of grease. The Sharks were impressed, and after some haggling, Newsome accepted a deal with Barbara Corcoran of a $75,000 investment for 50% ownership of the company.
Grease Bags faced some hurdles
Grease Bags was on an admirable mission to help people dispose of cooking oil safely. But the company dealt with some manufacturing and material issues early on that negatively affected its sales. According to Insignia SEO, LaTangela Newsome's deal with Barbara Corcoran fell through when she couldn't get the cost of the company's materials down enough to justify the retail price point that Corcoran's conditions required.
Nevertheless, Newsome worked to meet the rise in demand that comes with an appearance on "Shark Tank." But she ended up not having enough money to fulfill all of the orders. Newsome solved the issue after raising the price and moving Grease Bags to a different assembly center in Texas that's affiliated with shark Mark Cuban in 2017, she shared on Facebook.
Grease Bags' website is still up and running, but all products are marked as "out of stock."
Grease Bags may be getting a makeover
It turns out, a version of Grease Bags that's even better for the earth may be in the works. In August, a Facebook post on the product's page reported, "They were great before and now they decompose even faster." The post advised followers to "stay tuned for more details."
As of this writing, no firm date has been given for when Grease Bags will be available or how the bags' new formula will decompose faster than the original product.
And for anyone who thought they recognized the entrepreneur who repped the planet-friendly kitchen tool on "Shark Tank," it might not be surprising that the Grease Bags are getting a glow-up. According to LaTangela Newsome's TikTok account, she played Maritza on Nickelodeon's "Taina" and still auditions for acting roles. It seems Newsome has a talent for reinventions, especially when it comes to her career.