Ron Scharman and Ryan Neergard, two wine lovers, collaborated years back to make wine carriage more convenient and safer. FlyWithWine appeared on Shark Tank to ask for $500,000 to scale their business.
The business had promising sales stats, but it could not reach the break even. Despite no profitability, Ron and Ryan tried convincing the Sharks. However, a dig into the business model made the situation worse.
The patent of FlyWithWine’s flagship product line was not in the company’s name. Did the entrepreneur get a deal on Shark Tank? Check out our FlyWithWine update to find out!
FlyWithWine Net Worth 2024
FlyWithWine asked for a $500k investment in exchange for 8% equity in the company. This meant they valued their company at $6.25 million. Since they did not secure a deal on the show, the valuation remained the same at that time. For a quick FlyWithWine update, however, given the issues with the business model and patent ownership, the company did not experience significant growth post-show. Assuming a conservative 5% yearly growth rate, the current net worth of FlyWithWine in 2024 is approximately $6.56 million.
FlyWithWine Shark Tank Update
Nothing much has changed for FlyWithWine since its exit from the Shark Tank. The product line remains the same as Ron and Ryan presented on the show. They could not convince the sharks, so you would not find the Shark Tank mentioned on their website. However, we expect the company to discuss and decide the patent ownership with its investor.
For a quick FlyWithWine update, FlyWithWine did not get a deal on Shark Tank because of its weird business model. All the sharks were initially impressed by the problem it was solving and the sales figures it had achieved. Everything went well until the founders discussed patents with the sharks.
Mark Cuban and Robert Herjavec opted out because they could not see the business grow in the future. Lori Greiner was unable to identify where the money was going. Emma Grede and Kevin O’Leary did not like the business model because the company relied on the woman investor who had purchased the patent in her name.
Ron and Ryan initially asked for $500,000 for 8% of the equity. While the business value was justifiable, Kevin called the investor a parasite who was controlling how the company could operate in the future. None of the sharks offered FlyWithWine investment. Keep reading our FlyWithWine update to see what happens next!
| Shark(s) name | Offer | Demand | Counteroffer | Accepted? |
| Kevin O’Leary | Out | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Lori Greiner | Out | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Emma Grede | Out | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Robert Herjavec | Out | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Mark Cuban | Out | N/A | N/A | N/A |
FlyWithWine Shark Tank Pitch
Ron Scharman went to Burgundy with his wife in 2015. They visited popular wineries. The couple wanted to take the premium wine to their home, but they had to physically carry it to the mailbox. The shipment reached their home in 45 days, and the taste was changed.
After returning from Burgundy, Ron searched for a product that solved the wine carriage problem. He found a guy in Mexico who developed the first version of the flagship suitcase. Ron negotiated the design and purpose to make it exclusively for the wine industry.
Once Ron was done with negotiations, he called Ryan Neergard to help with business development. The company expanded nationally in 2022. In 2023, the suitcases and backpacks were sold internationally. The product line grew. Ron on-boarded a female investor who purchased the patent of the flagship product.
Regarding the FlyWithWine update, Ryan Neergard and Ron Scharman, the business partners from Napa, California, arrived at Shark Tank to demand $500,000 for an 8% stake in their company ‘FlyWithWine.’ Ron expressed his love for visiting vineyards in Bordeaux, France. However, bringing the wines home was expensive and demanded great effort.
Ryan demonstrated how people wrap their wine bottles in underwear, but it exploded whenever mishandled by the airport staff. FlyWithWine had the solution for wine lovers. The company specializes in selling wine suitcases called VinGardeValise. It came in three colors and sizes.
VinXplorer was another extraordinary wine transportation solution for adventurers. It had a 1.5-liter bladder and spouts to store and drink wine anywhere. The inserts were removable for easy handling and cleaning. The duo presented the Sharks with their flagship suitcase. They poured and enjoyed wine directly from the suitcase.
Kevin O’Leary demanded justifications for the $6.25 million valuation, which seemed high for a luggage-cum-wine boozery company. Ron smirked and explained that the company had lifetime sales of $19 million. Over 50,000 travelers bought their suitcases. FlyWithWine was founded at the end of 2016. Last year’s sales amounted to $5.6 million, but the company incurred a loss of $47,000. The sales up to the episode date in 2023 amounted to $2.3 million.
The sharks were impressed by the revenue but had issues with the net loss. Mark Cuban asked if funds were spent on marketing the products. Ron confirmed that FlyWithWine was running an aggressive marketing campaign where it had spent $400,000 on advertisements in 2022. Lori Greiner was dissatisfied with the explanation, so she inquired why the company could not make money.
Ron explained that all cash flows were invested back into the inventory. Besides marketing, human resource costs were high because the company hired competent people. The duo took a $150,000 salary each, an additional burden. He further added that they had to spend funds on several non-recurring items during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2023, FlyWithWine spent $100,000 on 13 trade shows around the USA.
Emma Grede asked about the origin of the business. The answer is mentioned in the ‘backstory’ section of the update. After knowing that the product was developed by someone else, Emma inquired if the product was licensed by FlyWithWine. Ron clarified that the company had a woman investor who worked as a manufacturer, importer, and supply chain manager. She bought the intellectual property from the original product owner. Her investment in FlyWithWine was 20%.
Addressing Mark’s question, Ron confirmed that the investor held no other financial interest in FlyWithWine. Kevin inquired about the ownership of the patent. Ron established that the patent was in the investor’s name, while the duo applied the patented design on suitcases and backpacks. The agreement had a ten-year term with a renewal option.
Lori demanded the break up of selling prices and costs. Ron elaborated that the VinGardeValise 12, 8, and 5 bottle versions were sold for $379.95, $339.95, and $289.95 respectively. FlyWithWine made a gross profit of 60 to 62% on these flagship products. The backpacks were available online for $199.95 with a gross margin of 71%. FlyWithWine had wholesale relations with 400 to 500 wineries. It made $3.4 on Amazon in 2022 and earned 13 to 14% of orders from the website.
Mark made an early exit from the negotiations because he felt that the business could not scale enough to make profits. Robert also opted out for the same reason. He explained that the company had to buy its flagship product from the manufacturer. He even called the founders ‘integrators’ and the company ‘value-added resellers’. He also had reservations that the company would not scale.
Emma refrained from investing due to misalignment between the founders and the investor. Lori soon followed the trend. She appreciated the product and acknowledged that the need existed. However, she could not identify where the money was going.
After Lori went out, Kevin summarized why investors were reluctant to fund the company. He called the manufacturer-cum-investor a parasite who was controlling how much money the company could make from the products. He explained that the founders could save 15 to 20% by adjusting the price, but the intellectual property was with the manufacturer.
Kevin has doubts about how he would get his money back. He initially thought about offering the investment for royalty. However, he could not hold onto the parasite because he was the parasite. All the sharks were out in the end.
What Went Wrong With FlyWithWine On Shark Tank?
From our FlyWithWine research, FlyWithWine impressed every Shark with its exceptional sales and margins. However, the main reason behind them not getting a deal on Shark Tank was the ownership of patents lying in the investor’s name instead of the company.
The Sharks did not consider the business investable because the investor had direct control over the manufacturing and pricing of the flagship product. Moreover, the company had spent a lot on marketing and human resources. The net loss made Lori speculate about the cash flows from operations.
Product Availability
From our FlyWithWine update research, FlyWithWine sells different carriage products for the transportation of wine. The wine suitcase, VinGardeValise, is the flagship product that is available in three colors and as many sizes as possible. The biggest size is Grande, which is available for $379.95 and accommodates 12 bottles. The Petite version has 8 8-bottle capacity and is available online for $339.95. The smallest variant is Picolo, which fits 5 bottles and costs $289.95.
Besides the flagship suitcase, the FlyWithWine sells backpacks for $199.95. The products are available on social media platforms, Amazon, and the official website. The market for FlyWithWine products exists because people need it. The idea is solid, but the business model does not stand out.
The products are patented, so it prevents the competitors from copying the design and idea. However, the majority dent to the sustainability of the current business model is that the patent is owned by the investor (not the company). Considering this, the product is owned by a woman investor. The non-renewal of the patent usage agreement in the future can cost FlyWithWine.
Conclusion
Not getting an investment from the Sharks does not mean that the company is doomed. The sales figures were amazing for a luggage company targeting a niche segment. However, Ron and Ryan can focus on improving certain aspects.
FlyWithWine must plan its marketing and human resource spending smartly. This planning will help the company make profits or reach the breakeven point. Another critical development is patent ownership.
FlyWithWine must talk with the investor to transfer the patent in its name. Self-owned patents will help the company proactively control manufacturing and pricing. Once this aspect is resolved, FlyWithWine can raise funds on any platform with its amazing sales.
Hi. I’m Daniyal Durrani. A CA-finalist, CPA-UK, and Master in Economics, with a decade-long business studies experience. I work as an Audit and Business Advisory Manager in a globally recognized accounting firm. I have been watching Shark Tank for a long time and have always admired the innovative business ideas. The revolutionary solutions to unaddressed day-to-day problems presented on the show used to impress me like no other thing on TV. Read more About me.