Where Is Bottle Bright From Shark Tank Today?
When Seth Friedman and Justin Koehneke showed up on Season 6 of ABC's "Shark Tank," Mark Cuban called them "desperate." Not exactly off to a great start for their product, Bottle Bright, which they pitched as a safe and efficient way to clean the inside of water bottles and other reusable beverage containers. The two entrepreneurs and mountain bikers had been vexed by the challenge that often came with keeping their water bottles clean, so they developed the fizzing tablets that came to bear the Bottle Bright name. And while the "Shark Tank" appearance didn't go off without a hitch, the company is still in business today.
The Sharks, for the most part, were uninterested in backing Bottle Bright. Along with Cuban's suggestion that Koehneke and Friedman were "desperate," Robert Herjavec claimed that they hadn't proven demand for their product, and Barbara Corcoran didn't like the fact that the company had yet to turn a profit in one of its first years in business. It looked as if Bottle Bright might be headed for a place on the list of "Shark Tank" food fails.
At that time, Bottle Bright had only been available online, selling 10-tablet packets for six or seven dollars. And though the two owners had struck some private label deals with outside brands, they needed an investment of $75,000 to up their production and retail distribution.
What happened to Bottle Bright on Shark Tank?
Demonstrating the product for the Sharks, Justin Koehneke and Seth Friedman made it clear that Bottle Bright gets bottles clean without the use of chlorine or other harsh chemicals. They also said that they wanted their product to have a social conscience. For every package of Bottle Bright sold, the company would donate a packet to people in developing nations who have to haul their water in jugs, which can sometimes be a challenge to keep clean.
Still, most of the Sharks passed on Bottle Bright, which didn't bode well for the two mountain-biking entrepreneurs. In the end, it came down to Lori Greiner. She described the product as akin to Efferdent for bottles, which seemed apt enough. (Friedman and Koehneke were quick to point out that, unlike Efferdent, their product used all-natural ingredients.)
Greiner also offered the duo the $75,000 they were seeking in return for 35% equity in Bottle Bright. That was well above the initial 15% that Koehneke and Friedman were offering in return for the Sharks' investment. But Greiner also said she would be able to get the tablets distributed to many retailers — both online and brick-and-mortar — and would be able to get them free advertising through shopping channel QVC. The two negotiated her down to 33%, and a deal was made.
Bottle Bright after Shark Tank
Lori Greiner delivered. And the fact that there was a market for a product like Bottle Bright shouldn't be too surprising. As Justin Koehneke and Seth Friedman pointed out during their "Shark Tank" pitch, dishwashers can't really get into the narrow openings of most water bottles, and people are right to be wary about using some of the harsh chemicals that can remove stains and odors on something they drink from. Still, Bottle Bright needed to reach its audience, and Greiner helped immensely on that front.
In addition to being available on the Bottle Bright website, the effervescent tablets can be purchased on Amazon, through Walmart, and on the websites of camping and outdoor retailers, such as REI and CampSaver.com. And though the price has increased slightly to eight dollars, a package also now contains 12 tablets instead of just 10.
If the reviews on Amazon are any indication, the product has pleased customers, too. Currently, the product has a 4.8-star average rating, and the most recent reviews give it a solid five. Some share their experiences with cleaning everything from water bottles to thermoses to coffee pots, highlighting the ease of using the tablets, their effectiveness, and the fact that they don't leave behind odd chemical odors.
Is Bottle Bright still in business?
Almost a decade after the initial airing of the "Shark Tank" episode, Bottle Bright is still very much in business, with both an active website and an active presence on social media, including Instagram and Facebook. The website boasts rave reviews of the Bottle Bright tablets from a variety of outdoor, camping, and health publications.
However, founders Justin Koehneke and Seth Friedman are conspicuously absent from the website. There is no mention of them, even in the "about" section. There's also no mention of "Shark Tank" on there.
This may not just be a matter of modesty. In 2016, the two founders sold Bottle Bright to water container company Hydrapak. Though the amount for which HydraPak acquired Bottle Bright is undisclosed, it appears that the product is in good hands. The company makes and sells a variety of water containers and portable filtration systems that appear to be aimed at outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, skiing and snowboarding, hunting, and fishing. And yes, those light blue packages of Bottle Bright cleaning packages are right there in the cleaning section of its website, along with a couple different options of cleaning kits.
What's next for Bottle Bright and its founders?
Though the future is impossible to tell, for Bottle Bright it looks, well, bright. Being in the hands of a successful company that has been around more than 20 years bodes well for the future of the brand. Speaking with SGB Media in 2019, HydraPak founder and CEO Matt Lyon spoke highly of the Bottle Bright brand, mentioning Justin Koehneke and Seth Friedman and their appearance on "Shark Tank" before saying that the Bottle Bright tablets have "been a great product for us."
As for Koehneke and Friedman, they appear to be keeping a low profile. Justin Koehneke's LinkedIn page lists him as self-employed and the founder of a company called Heymaker, which specialized in helping CBD brands market themselves to wider audiences. Seth Friedman does not seem to have a LinkedIn page, and it isn't clear whether Lori Greiner is still involved with the product.
It's also unclear whether Bottle Bright is still committed to providing its tablets for those in developing nations. Though the product's website claims "We support our local communities through volunteering, donations and sponsorships," there is no specific mention of Friedman and Koehneke's original global humanitarian commitment.