Here's What Happened To Cup Board Pro After Shark Tank
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By the time Long Island, New York siblings Christian, Keira, and Kaley Young ended their "Shark Tank" pitch, the sharks were either wiping away tears or struggling to keep their emotions at bay. They were there in place of their father, Keith. He had died a few months earlier from synovial sarcoma, a cancer he got from helping with cleanup after 9/11.
The siblings told the Sharks how their father was a firefighter and firehouse chef and had created the Cup Board Pro in 2010. Unlike traditional cutting boards, Keith's design included a tray that attaches to the tongue and groove of the cutting board and extends over the edge of the kitchen counter to make collecting extra juices and scraps of food easier. But as Keith got more into the product's development, his wife and the mother of his children, Beth King, was diagnosed with cancer. So he put things on hold to take care of her.
After Beth's death the following year, the kids encouraged him to compete on Food Network's "Chopped," and he won twice. He was also a winner in Season 2 of "Throwdown with Bobby Flay." He wrote a cookbook, "Cooking With the Firehouse Chef," which was published three years after he died.Keith's kids were determined to make their dad's dream come true, and are hopeful that one of the sharks will make them an offer.
The siblings make a deal with all five sharks
After the Young siblings introduced themselves on the 2018 episode of "Shark Tank," they informed the sharks that they were seeking $100,000 for a 10% stake in their business. They talked about what led to coming on the show and played a video their dad made demonstrating the Cup Board Pro — it was also meant to be his audition for the show. While the Sharks had difficulty keeping their eyes dry, with both Lori Greiner and Daymond John visibly crying, they also recognized the brilliance of the cutting board's design. Not only is it made of quality bamboo, but there are three patents on the cutting board and tray cup.
While they admitted that they just started selling the product in the previous three weeks, they've already sold 300 through social media and their online store. The siblings wanted to use the $100,000 for marketing, advertising, inventory, and renewing their retooling. In a momentous event, John, Greiner, Mark Cuban, Kevin O'Leary, and guest shark Matt Higgins decided to work together to offer Cup Board Pro a deal, negotiating $100,000 for 20% of the company. They also agreed that any profit from their 20% would go to a charity that helped other firemen who suffered a sickness related to 9/11. Ecstatic, the siblings quickly agreed to the deal.
They sold out of their inventory before the episode finished airing
"Now that we have all five sharks on board we can really make our dad's dream come true," Kaley Young said in the after-show interview. "Our dad would probably be so proud of us, and, like, so happy that we're continuing on his legacy, his dream," Keira agreed. They sold every single one of their Cup Board Pros before viewers in some parts of the country even had a chance to see the "Shark Tank" episode. "All of our inventory was sold out as our episode was still airing on the East Coast — by the time our episode aired in California, we were already sold out," Kaley told "Good Morning America."
Season 10, Episode 22 of "Shark Tank" gave an update on Cup Board Pro. The siblings explained that after the episode aired and they didn't have enough inventory to fill orders, the sharks introduced them to Williams-Sonoma. They made a deal with the kitchen company that included licensing, manufacturing, and distributing through Williams-Sonoma stores and website, and making the cutting board thinner and lighter.
The siblings also set up a GoFundMe page with a goal of $25,000 after many customers said they wanted to donate money to help other firefighters like Keith. They ended up raising more than $40,000 to give to the FDNY Foundation. They were excited to move forward, continuing to share their dad's dream with people everywhere.
The company has continued to grow
Cup Board Pro is no longer sold on the Cup Board Pro website, but instead, the "Order Now" link on the home page takes you directly to the Williams-Sonoma website. The number of options for colors and styles has also expanded.
"On 'Shark Tank,' we went on with our dad's colors of the natural wood color with a green, lime green, and charcoal," Kaley Young told "Good Morning America." "And so that one's known as the original. Then we have a natural with a charcoal color cup or a slate cup. And our slate color, which is an all-black Cup Board Pro. And now we have an extra large version. And they're coming up with two new versions this Spring," Kaley Young said. The original designs sell for $84.95, while the Extra Large is $119.95.
The new versions are the Synthetic Cutting Board, a thin, reversible, dishwasher-friendly polyethylene board with a Slate Cup for $54.95, and a Richlite wood fiber and recycled paper composite for $119.95. The Richlite comes in a darker brown with a Green Cup, or Natural with a Slate Cup. Both also come with a copy of Keith Young's cookbook.
There are deals regularly publicized on Instagram, and Lori Greiner recently posted a holiday giveaway. Reviews on Williams-Sonoma's website are mostly positive with 3.5 stars out of 5. Many people rave about the Young family's story and the product, but the most common complaint is that the tray doesn't stay attached to the board.
The siblings are all working on their own personal paths
In an update on "Shark Tank" Season 14 in 2023, the siblings said that Cup Board Pro has made over $7 million in sales and raised $100,000 for the FDNY Foundation. The Youngs bought a home to live in together and are still growing Cup Board Pro as well as working on their individual goals. Keira was studying business at the College of Charleston to help keep Cup Board Pro going and eventually start her own business. Christian loves animals and started working as a veterinarian assistant. Kaley got married in 2022 and has her own business as an interior designer, along with a website showcasing her work at
"Today Cup Board Pro is one of Williams-Sonoma's number one selling cutting boards," Kaley told Startup to Storefront in August 2023. "We still have a licensing deal with them, we recreated our dad's cookbook, and they sell our dad's cookbook as well. We have all new accessories and different things in the works now, too, and will hopefully be out next year." They have also never stopped giving back, with Kaley revealing that they still can donate 20% of their Cup Board Pro revenue back to the 9/11-related charity, FDNY Foundation.