Here's What Happened To Guzzle Buddy After Shark Tank
Over the years, we've seen plenty of ridiculous food inventions pitched on "Shark Tank," from cycling-powered smoothies to the Sippline drinking shield to wine glasses that screw onto the top of a wine bottle.
The latter, marketed as the Guzzle Buddy, was born in 2016, inspired by seeing the idea on an episode of "Cougar Town," with Iowa-based entrepreneurs Jennifer Brick-Sullivan and Randy Rothfus turning the joke into a reality. They initially struggled to create a product that fit tightly enough on a wine bottle's opening to prevent leakage, but still fit loosely enough for customers to easily insert it, but the duo eventually succeeded with the design.
Guzzle Buddy launched on both its own website and on Amazon, and actually sold out in just three days. By the end of 2017, Guzzle Buddy had proven itself to be a $1.4 million idea, and in 2018, the business pitched itself to the "Shark Tank" investors where Brick-Sullivan and Rothfus hoped to score a deal of $400,000 in exchange for 10% equity in the company.
What happened to Guzzle Buddy on 'Shark Tank'?
Guzzle Buddy founders Jennifer Brick-Sullivan and Randy Rothfus pitched their product to the "Shark Tank" panel in 2018 as the best wine glass, and the solution to all problems when it comes to enjoying a drink. Made from borosilicate glass and silicone, the Guzzle Buddy is freezer- and dishwasher-safe, meaning you can still enjoy chilled red wine without having to remove the glass attachment.
Brick-Sullivan and Rothfus also explained how the product helps preserve the fine dining drinking rule that involves lip oils tainting the taste of your drink. In other words, with Guzzle Buddy, because your mouth is no longer directly coming into contact with the bottle, your lip oils won't spoil the entirety of its contents.
In addition to the original shape suited for wine glasses, the duo also demonstrated attachments suited for beers and sodas.
For all the laughs Guzzle Buddy drew from the sharks initially, not one of them was buying the company's $4 million valuation and one by one, they all dropped out. Except Lori Greiner. As the last shark in, Greiner questioned whether or not Guzzle Buddy would be able to sustain its millions in sales, especially given the fact that it's a pure novelty item.
But, in a sudden turn of events, shark Daymond John jumped back into the conversation with an offer of $400,000 for 25% equity, which the Guzzle Buddy founders accepted.
Guzzle Buddy continued to grow after 'Shark Tank'
Although the exact reasons are unknown, it's said that Guzzle Buddy ultimately decided not to go through with its deal with shark Daymond John. Regardless, the company moved forward and found great success. After gaining some viral traction on social media, the founders were invited to appear on "The Ellen Show" and "Live With Kelly."
To attract more people, Guzzle Buddy lowered its prices from the initial $25 for a wine glass attachment to $14.99. They also offer beer glass attachments for $11.99 each and a soda bottle topper for $12.99.
Guzzle Buddy also expanded its product line to be customizable with text and graphics, whether you order through the Guzzle Buddy website or through Amazon. What's more, customers asked Guzzle Buddy to make glasses that were shatter-proof for when they wanted to travel with them, so the company came out with a "2 Go" version made from tritan copolyester and silicone.
Where is Guzzle Buddy today?
With its ongoing success, Guzzle Buddy is still around today and continues to thrive, even after its "Shark Tank" investment and partnership with Daymond John reportedly fell through in the end. It's estimated that the company makes somewhere between $1 million and $2 million each year, proving that it is indeed sustainable, refuting the sharks' theory that it would be a short-lived novelty idea.
Many of the Guzzle Buddy products are sold out on Amazon as of August 2023, though products are still available for purchase through Walmart, various wine vendors, and, of course, the Guzzle Buddy website itself. Regardless of being sold out on Amazon, Guzzle Buddy maintains a 4.6 star rating. Many reviewers have commented they liked the product so much that they brought a Guzzle Buddy for all of their friends.
The only complaint anyone seemed to have was that the contraption made drinking an entire bottle of wine in one sitting far too easy. But there are some wonderful benefits to drinking a glass of wine a day.
Guzzle Buddy's future remains uncertain
While Guzzle Buddy seems to be doing well at the moment, and is still quite active on social media, they may face some problems in the future. One of the biggest concerns is the fact that other companies have started selling their own version of the Guzzle Buddy — this is often why the investors on "Shark Tank" look for entrepreneurs that have patents and therefore a corner on the market.
On Amazon alone, brands like D&Slifei, Big Mouth, and Godinger sell wine bottle glass attachments for a similar price point. The competition, in turn, can push Guzzle Buddy to lower its prices even further, which could affect the health of its profit margins.
That being said, Guzzle Buddy appears to be chugging along unbothered for the time being, and for what it's worth, none of Guzzle Buddy's competitors have a customization option yet so that's still a big draw, especially in the gift market.