Here's What Happened To Clean Bottle After Shark Tank
Designed in Silicon Valley by founder and triathlete David Mayer, Clean Bottle is a water bottle that promotes cleanliness by opening on both ends. While riding his bike one afternoon, Mayer recognized how disgusting his bottle had become due to recurrent use. "As an athlete, I was always using water bottles, but they were impossible to clean," Mayer told the Sharks. "One day, while I was on a bike ride, the idea hit me. If I could unscrew the bottom as well as the top, then the bottle would be much easier to keep clean," via Triathlete. To get the idea off the ground, Mayer put his grandfather to work in packaging and his father shipping the products.
The company's success began before Mayer's "Shark Tank" episode aired. By then, he had already racked up $750,000 in sales, for which he partially has a promotional campaign at the famous Tour de France bicycle race to thank. During the event, a Clean Bottle team member dressed up as a giant water bottle to promote the business. However, Mayer still needed a boost to accelerate Clean Bottle, so he stepped into the Tank in Season 3, Episode 1.
Did any sharks take a bite?
David Mayer came fully prepared to promote his product to the Sharks, even playing into Robert Herjavec's interests by telling him he was aware of his past running experience. He asked for $60,000 for a 5% stake in the company, and the sharks were immediately intrigued. To prove his credibility, he brought in a tall water bottle mascot, who turned out to be NBA legend Bill Walton. When Walton revealed his identity, he exclaimed, "Champions ride clean. Losers, they ride dirty" (via YouTube).
The offers came in quickly, with Daymond John stating he would give Mayer his requested amount, but only for 25% of the company. Kevin O'Leary chimed in next, asking for $0.50 for every bottle sold. He also stated he was willing to offer $100,000. Neither of these offers appealed to Mayer.
John was taken aback by Mayer's demands. "I think you're smart. You're slick. You're greedy, and it's offensive," John remarked. Consequently, Barbara Corcoran and Daymond John were the first to withdraw. Herjavec said he'd do the offer for just 5%, but he backed out because he felt ignored. Mark Cuban then agreed to partner with Mayer for 8%, which Mayer finally agreed to.
Success after Shark Tank
After the episode aired, it was clear that David Mayer chose the right Shark. Clean Bottle's sales soared after visiting "Shark Tank," and it gained even more credibility due to Mark Cuban's status as owner of the Dallas Mavericks. Now, the company has expanded to six countries and 5,000 stores, and they even offer custom printing, which makes for a great gift idea. Tons of products are currently available, from tumblers to mugs and infusion squares.
As of November 2021, the company had made $4 million in annual revenue. To help acquire a small portion of this money, Mayer launched a Kickstarter campaign asking for just $20,000. Instead, he ended up raising $126,280. His success was the product of significant research, as he consulted with 15 formerly successful Kickstarter users who talked him through the process. A video was the final step in driving the product home.
Is Clean Bottle still in business?
Clean Bottle is still a success, only now under the name of the Clean Hydration Company. In 2018, it was bought by the investment firm Split Peak LLC. At the time, the firm's CEO Brandon Bernardo called the market an "enormous opportunity." The brand is active on social media, often pointing out how clients can make the most of their bottles such as bringing the bottles to the office and gym. In September of 2023, the company is using Facebook to promote its Sports 23 bottle, which has an antimicrobial agent on its exterior. This can be seen as a further attempt to promote the brand's goal of cleanliness. As of October 2023, Clean Hydration Company had racked up 15,000 Facebook likes and a little over 7,000 Instagram likes.
According to a Reddit thread, users of the products are impressed with the bottles and the company's customer service. "I sent them an email about possibly replacing the lid [I broke], and almost immediately received a reply," one user says. The company was willing to offer a replacement for just $5.
What's next for Clean Bottle?
It's unclear what Clean Bottle Hydration Company might be cooking up next, but it does ask for recommendations on its website to help further the product line. It seems, for now, the brand is simply promoting its products on social media by offering discounts on specific items and playing into society's desire to better the environment with reusable bottles. One of its promotions included a "Summer Fest" in which it provided a 15% discount on any product. In October 2023, it was running a similar 15% off promotion.
However, over the last few years, the product received less-than-amazing reviews on Amazon. One of the main concerns seems to be leakage, with one customer commenting, "I have been spending weeks trying different things to make sure that they don't leak but to no avail."
Nevertheless, as long as runners compete in marathons, Clean Bottle Hydration Company may continue to grow. As it turns out, partnering with someone who knows athleticism like Mark Cuban provides quite a sales boost.