Bear Minimum update

Bear Minimum Camping Cookware Update | Shark Tank Season 10

ByAndrew Smith

Cory Santiago loved camping but hated how bulky and hard to pack regular cooking pots were. To fix that, he created Bear Minimum, a foldable camping pot that packs flat like a wallet and opens up when it’s time to cook. It saves space in your backpack and makes outdoor cooking much easier. Will the sharks invest in this space-saving idea? Let’s find out in our Bear Minimum update and pitch recap.

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

Heidi and Cory pitched their camping cookware on Shark Tank Season 10, seeking $100,000 for 20% equity. After their pitch, they made a deal with guest shark Jamie Siminoff for $100,000 for 25% equity.

In terms of a Bear Minimum update, the company is still in business but hasn’t grown much since airing.

SharkResult
Jamie SiminoffAccepted offer of $100,000 for 25% equity
Daymond John$100,000 for 33.3% equity
Lori GreinerNo offer
Kevin O’LearyNo offer
Mark CubanNo offer

Shark Tank Bear Minimum Pitch

Shark Tank Bear Minimum update
  • Entrepreneurs: Heidi and Cory Santiago
  • Business: Camping Cookware
  • Ask: $100,000 for 20% equity
  • Result: $100,000 for 25% equity
  • Shark: Jamie Siminoff

Husband and wife duo, Heidi and Cory entered Shark Tank with their business partner, Tim Krauss, who wore a bear costume to grab attention to present their Bear Bowl to the sharks.

Their product, Bear Bowl, is a lightweight, collapsible cooking pot designed for camping.

They explained that traditional camping cookware is bulky and hard to pack. However, their cookware folds flat, making it easy to carry.

The Bear Bowl is made from flame-resistant, food-grade material and can handle heat up to 550°F.

It snaps into shape for use and folds down for storage. It also comes in three sizes and cleans easily.

The sharks asked about ownership. Kevin O’Leary wanted to know if the product was protected. Cory said they had a utility patent pending.

Mark Cuban then asked about sales. Cory explained they raised over $40,000 through a Kickstarter campaign.

The product hadn’t hit the market yet, but they had a manufacturer lined up and a distributor with access to big box retailers.

The sharks also asked about costs. Heidi said it costs $6.90 to make and sells for $29.99. The margins caught their attention.

Guest shark Jamie Siminoff asked about their background. Heidi shared a personal story.

In 2008, they launched a potty-training watch called Wee-Minder. A dishonest overseas partner stole their inventory and wiped them out. They didn’t give up.

Heidi worked five jobs. Cory worked on Bear Minimum during the day and drove for Lyft at night.

They built the company slowly, using their savings and crowdfunding to move forward.

Kevin said he didn’t enjoy camping and only stayed where there was 24-hour room service. He was out.

Mark liked the passion but didn’t think they were seasoned enough as businesspeople and backed out, too.

Lori Greiner didn’t like the camping niche and dropped out.

Daymond John acknowledged their resilience and made an offer of $100,000 for 33.3% equity.

Jamie, however, liked both the product and the market potential and offered $100,000 for 25% equity.

After a quick discussion, Heidi and Cory accepted Jamie’s offer.

Keep reading our Bear Minimum update to find out what happened following their Shark Tank appearance.

Shark Tank Bear Minimum Update

According to our Bear Minimum update, there’s no official confirmation that the deal with Jamie Siminoff closed after the Shark Tank episode aired.

Further, Bear Minimum expanded its product catalog to include the Complete Camp Kitchen and other outdoor cooking tools.

However, at the time of writing our Bear Minimum update, only the 32-ounce “Baby Bear” version is in stock. The larger sizes were sold out.

It seems the company hasn’t grown much since Shark Tank, and annual revenue is estimated to be between $80,000 and $100,000.

The company appears to be operating at a limited capacity but remains in business.

We will keep an eye on things, and if we find out anything new, we will let you know in our next Bear Minimum update.

You can find the other company updates from Season 10 here:

Before you go, be sure to check out our list of all the Shark Tank Season 10 products.

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Andrew is a lifelong fan of Shark Tank and an entrepreneur at heart. He started Shark Tank Recap because he wanted a single place to track what happens to the companies, founders, and deals after they air on TV. With a sharp eye for business insights and a passion for all things Shark Tank, Andrew makes sure every recap is accurate, engaging, and fun.