FlyWithWine Luggage Update | Shark Tank Season 15

Shipping wine home after a trip took too long, cost too much, and often ended in broken bottles. So, Ron Scharman and Ryan Neergaard created FlyWithWine, a suitcase made to carry wine safely on planes. It protects the bottles, fits other travel items, and helps wine lovers bring home what they buy without stress. Will Ron and Ryan ultimately fly away with a deal? Find out in our FlyWithWine update and pitch recap.

If you’re short on time, here’s a quick overview of what happened to FlyWithWine after Shark Tank.

Ron and Ryan pitched their travel accessory for wine on Shark Tank Season 15. They sought $500,000 for 8% equity. After their pitch, they left without a deal.

In terms of a FlyWithWine update, the company aimed to expand into national retail and duty-free stores, with plans to grow its presence in the spirits travel space. However, Ron later confirmed that FlyWithWine officially shut down in mid-2024, ending its run after eight years in business.

Shark:	Result:
Mark Cuban	No offer
Kevin O’Leary	No offer
Robert Herjavec	No offer
Lori Greiner	No offer
Emma Grede	No offer

Shark Tank FlyWithWine Pitch

• Entrepreneurs: Ron Scharman and Ryan Neergard
• Business: Luggage for wine transport
• Ask: $500,000 for 8% equity
• Result: No deal
• Shark: None

Entrepreneurs Ron and Ryan entered Shark Tank with a travel solution for wine lovers.

After a trip to France, Ron struggled to ship wine home safely and affordably.

That experience led to the launch of FlyWithWine, a company that makes luggage designed to protect wine bottles during travel.

Their main product is the VinGardeValise, a hard-shell suitcase with removable foam inserts that securely hold 5, 8, or 12 bottles of wine. The suitcase also fits clothes and everyday items.

In addition to that, they pitched the VinXplorer, a beverage backpack with a built-in 1.5-liter bladder. Both products are fully insulated, and the inserts are removable, so the bags can be used for normal travel.

During the pitch, each shark received a 5-bottle suitcase and a VinXplorer backpack pre-filled with their favorite drinks.

The sharks shared a laugh and a toast before Kevin O’Leary quickly asked them to justify their $6.5 million valuation.

Ron explained that the company launched in 2016 and has generated $19 million in lifetime sales. In 2022, they made $5.6 million in revenue.

So far this year, they’ve done $2.3 million in sales but are down $100,000, mostly from trade show expenses and advertising.

Ron said they spent $400,000 on ads last year and are still reinvesting in the business. He added that both he and Ryan draw annual salaries of $150,000 each.

At this point, Lori Greiner asked why the business isn’t profitable with such high revenue.

Ron explained that COVID caused significant setbacks, and they’re still recovering.

On top of that, they maintain $1.5 million in inventory and invest in employee benefits to keep their team strong.

Guest shark Emma Grede then asked about their backstory. Ron said he found the original suitcase design in Mexico, struck an exclusive deal for the wine industry, and brought Ryan in as a partner.

However, Emma pointed out that they didn’t invent the luggage; they licensed it.

Ron clarified that the product is now fully theirs. An investor, who owns 20% of the company, bought out the original creator and currently manages manufacturing, importing, and supply chain operations.

That investor also owns the patent on the suitcase, while the backpack patent is shared. The licensing deal runs for 10 years and can be renewed.

Lori asked about pricing. The 12-bottle case sells for $379.95, the 8-bottle for $339.95, and the 5-bottle for $289.95.

Margins range from 60% to 62%, and the VinXplorer backpack sells for $199.95 with a 71% margin.

Sales are split between Amazon, where they made $3.4 million in the past year, wholesale, which accounts for 40%, and direct-to-consumer sales on their website, which make up 13%.

Additionally, their products are sold in 400 to 500 wineries across the U.S.

Despite the impressive sales, the sharks had concerns.

Mark Cuban passed first, saying the business would be difficult to scale profitably.

Robert Herjavec didn’t like that they relied on one manufacturer, calling it a barrier to future sales.

Emma agreed, pointing out that the investor relationship didn’t seem fully aligned.

Lori liked the product but felt the lack of profit was a red flag.

Kevin didn’t like the idea of being tied to their investor in a royalty deal and passed as well.

In the end, none of the sharks made an offer, and Ron and Ryan left without a deal.

Let’s get a FlyWithWine update to see what happened to their company after Shark Tank.

Shark Tank FlyWithWine Update

In terms of a FlyWithWine update, we caught up with co-founder Ron Scharman to see how things were going shortly after their episode aired.

“Getting on Shark Tank felt like a lifetime achievement award,” Ron told us. “To get through the selection process and make it to the airing of our pitch was something special I will always remember as a unique accomplishment in my life.”

In the days following the show, sales jumped fast. “Sales so far over 4 days since the episodes aired have been in excess of $50,000 over what we would have done otherwise,” he said.

Ron and Ryan had big plans at the time. “We are launching in some great new national retail accounts in 2024, in duty-free stores, and expanding into the spirits travel space,” Ron shared.

FlyWithWine carried a range of wine-related products, all listed on their website, and things were looking up.

Unfortunately for the company, things didn’t go as planned.

While we were conducting research for a current FlyWithWine update, we came across the shocking news that the business had shut down.

In mid-2024, Ron shared a sad post on LinkedIn that FlyWithWine had officially shut down after eight years.

In his own words, “I closed FlyWithWine and started a new role as General Manager, Wine Division, for the brand owner of VinGardeValise.”

It’s clear the company didn’t keep up the momentum long-term, but Ron is still active in the wine-travel space through his new position.

Although the FlyWithWine website is still live and shows a few core products, it looks like the brand has quietly moved under new management.

Sadly, this will be our final FlyWithWine update, except, of course, if Ron and his team decide to revive the company he once pitched on Shark Tank.

Before you go, check out our other company updates from Season 15 Episode 9 by following the links below!

• Rebel Cheese Update
• The Pocket Panty Update
• CAKES body Update

Before you go, be sure to check out our list of all the Shark Tank Season 15 products.