Tailgate N Go Portable Kitchen Update | Shark Tank Season 11
The Johnson family loves camping, so they created a portable kitchen for camping and outdoor recreation. The sharks have a healthy debate about the product during the
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick overview of what happened to Tailgate N Go after
Tailgate N Go appeared on
| Shark: | Result: |
| Matt Higgins | Accepted deal of $250,000 for 20% equity plus a $50/unit royalty |
| Kevin O’Leary | $250,000 as a line of credit at 10% interest and 10% equity with a $100/unit royalty |
| Daymond John | No Offer |
| Kevin O’Leary | No Offer |
| Lori Greiner | No Offer |
Shark Tank Tailgate N Go Update
- Entrepreneurs: Ron, Taylor, and Kobe Johnson
- Business: Portable outdoor kitchen
- Ask: $250,000 for 10% equity
- Result: $250,000 for 20% equity + $50/unit royalty
- Shark: Matt Higgins
Ron, Taylor, and Kobe brought Tailgate N Go to
The family were avid campers and were tired of losing kitchen items and not having what they needed on hand when they were on the go. The Tailgate N Go packs all of the essential kitchen conveniences in a modular design, so you can set up a kitchen while you’re camping, tailgating, or doing any other outdoor activity.
During the pitch, the family let the product speak for itself. They also boasted the two provisional patents they have on parts of the boxes.
Additionally, they’ve sold over 100 units in the first year and a half in business. However, as the sharks started to ask questions, the entrepreneurs revealed that they had a remarkably high production cost.
The units themselves are pricey, ranging from $1,000 to $1,500. The cost to make them is over $700 per unit.
Mark Cuban praised the family for working hard for the American dream. However, he was out because he didn’t camp.
Lori Greiner followed suit, going out next.
Kevin O’Leary made an offer to blend the idea with his ‘Chef Wonderful’ brand. He offered the Johnsons $250,000 as a line of credit at 10% interest for a 10% stake in the company, but with a requirement of $100 in royalties for each unit sold in perpetuity.
Guest shark Matt Higgins, vice-chairman of the Miami Dolphins, says he knows the customer base that the Johnson family is after. That said, he doesn’t see the market for this, so he is out.
At this point, Ron pleaded with Matt to reconsider, describing a vision for Tailgate N Go’s marketed to every sports team.
Daymond John didn’t like this approach or the high production costs, so he is out next.
Unfortunately, they turned down Kevin’s deal, taking issue with the line of credit model. They didn’t walk away without a deal, though.
Just as they were about to exit the stage without a deal, Daymond encouraged them to counter. After haggling over the counteroffer, they managed to get Matt Higgins to go in with them for $250,000 for 20% equity, plus a $50 royalty on every unit sold.
But how is the company doing now? Keep reading our Tailgate N Go update.
We have good news to share in our Tailgate N Go update! In the few months after this episode aired, the company made about $400,000 in sales, a 60% increase over their pre-show sales. In 2023, revenue is around $1 million per year.
We also found that Matt has helped the company get a licensing deal with the NFL. Now, boxes are available with team colors and logos.
There are also a handful of NCAA team designs available as well, meaning the licensing deals are expanding! Further, they sell attachments for the boxes, so you can customize them to your needs.
Check it all out on the Tailgate N Go website! If we get any more news on a Tailgate N Go update we will let you know!
Make sure to check out our other company updates from Season 11 Episode 5:
Before you go, take a look at the other company updates from Season 11 on our Season 11 products page.
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Kimberly is a writer for Shark Tank Recap. She has written episode summaries and updates across multiple seasons of Shark Tank, with a focus on complete and accurate information since 2021. She believes that getting the business aspects of each deal correct is extremely important for viewers and fans. Her favorite Shark Tank products are The Wobbles and Rocketbook!