The Kooler Update | Shark Tank Season 8

Athletes often find it challenging to manage multiple containers for their pre-, during-, and post-workout drinks. To solve this, Stan Efferding came up with The Kooler, a “cooler within a cooler” that keeps all your drinks cold and neatly stored in one easy-to-carry container. Can this clever solution grab the sharks’ attention and secure the investment it needs to grow? Let’s dive into our The Kooler update and pitch recap to find out.

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

Stan entered Shark Tank Season 8, seeking $50,000 for 15% equity in The Kooler. Ultimately, he reached an agreement for a deal with Daymond John for $50,000 for 33% equity.

In terms of The Kooler update, the company sold out on HSN and expanded into major retail stores shortly after its episode aired. However, The Kooler faced significant production issues that led to negative customer feedback. All efforts to revive the company proved abortive as it ultimately shut down in 2021.

Shark	Result
Daymond John	Accepted offer of $50,000 for 33% equity
Kevin O’Leary	No offer
Lori Greiner	No offer
Mark Cuban	No offer
Robert Herjavec	No offer

Shark Tank The Kooler Pitch

• Entrepreneur: Stan Efferding
• Business: Well-insulated gym cooler with drink shakers
• Ask: $50,000 for 15% equity
• Result: $50,000 for 33% equity
• Shark: Daymond John

Stan made quite a remarkable entrance on Shark Tank. He flipped an 800-pound tire and lifted heavy weights to grab the sharks’ attention.

He needed the investment to fix production issues and expand distribution so more fitness enthusiasts could enjoy his innovative cooler.

The Kooler is a double-wall insulated cooler that holds water and two shaker bottles that offer a simple and portable solution for athletes, bodybuilders, and fitness fans who need multiple drinks for their workouts.

Stan’s business is focused on designing, manufacturing, and selling the product directly to consumers through platforms like Amazon, GNC, The Vitamin Shoppe, HSN, and Walgreens.

It solved the hassle of carrying multiple bottles by offering temperature control, portability, and convenience in one product.

Stan highlighted The Kooler’s unique design, which kept drinks cold and neatly stored.

During his pitch, Stan pointed out that The Kooler wasn’t just for bodybuilders—anyone could use it.

He had already sold $120,000 worth of products in 16 months, split between online sales and retail stores.

With a production cost of $7 per unit and a retail price of $32.95 (later dropped to $19.98), Stan wanted to use an infomercial to better explain his product’s value.

Kevin O’Leary admired Stan’s business savvy but felt the product was too niche and exited the negotiations.

Mark Cuban praised Stan’s selling skills but believed the product lacked a “catalyst” for mass appeal, so he passed too.

Lori Greiner didn’t think The Kooler would work on QVC and dropped out.

Robert Herjavec didn’t see the business’ potential for a broader audience, so he opted out as well.

That left Daymond John, who liked the product enough to offer $50,000 for 33% equity, and Stan accepted the deal.

If you’re wondering how things turned out, then stay tuned for our The Kooler update.

Shark Tank The Kooler Update

Our The Kooler update found that the deal with Daymond John eventually closed, and the company saw a quick boost in sales, selling out on HSN.

Building on that momentum, the company expanded to 100 Bed Bath & Beyond stores in Canada and set its sights on a major rollout in 7,000 Walgreens locations by 2019.

However, things started to go wrong as The Kooler faced production issues, such as leaks and defective parts.

This led to some bad reviews on Amazon, with customers complaining about cracked chambers and broken spouts.

To fix the problems, Stan launched The Kooler 2.0 with added features like storage pockets and a carabiner. However, the product couldn’t regain its footing.

The new version was only available on Stan’s website, limiting its reach to a broader audience.

Our The Kooler update found that the company shut down in mid-2021 due to ongoing production issues.

The Kooler’s website was eventually redirected to Stan’s personal site, where he’s now focused on his other projects.

While you might still find a few units through third-party sellers, The Kooler is no longer being produced.

Unfortunately, this is our final The Kooler update.

Want to know what happened to the other companies on Shark Tank Season 8 Episode 15? Check their company updates out here:

• Little Nomad Update
• RinseKit Update
• dBest Products Update

Before you go, check out our Shark Tank Season 8 page for more updates.