Calling all wine connoisseurs. Now you can travel and bring a bottle home without having to worry about breaking it during the flight. FlyWithWine created the VinGardeValise, the first and only suitcase designed specifically to protect wine bottles. Founders Ronald Scharman and Ryan Neergaard recently appeared on Shark Tank. Although no deal was struck, FlyWithWine is worth an estimated $3 million.
Founder Profile
Ryan Neergaard, Director of Business Development at FlyWithWine, is a big fan of Shark Tank. He is also a certified sommelier who spent his early years working in restaurants in Napa, California. Over the past 13 years, he has mastered the art of blending wine science with business strategy.
CEO Ron Sharman has a similar background, but has been in the wine industry for more than 20 years. Eight of those years were spent at Sonoma State University, teaching the wine business and building relationships with industry leaders.
The birth of FlyWithWine
The idea for the company came from a problem familiar to many wine collectors. Ron had discovered a fine winery in Burgundy. He wanted to bring a bottle home, but his options were to either mail it or pack it himself in a cheap container.
When he got home, he came up with a better solution, so he teamed up with Ryan and a few product designers to design a suitcase with compartments for bottles of wine and other beverages.
FlyWithWine launched in 2016, and since then they have sold over 50,000 units in 500 locations. In 2022, they released the backpack version of their flagship product, the VinXplorer. A year later, they showcased their product on Shark Tank Season 15.
After Shark Tank
For Ron and Ryan, being on the show was a “lifetime achievement award,” but the $6.25 million valuation made things challenging. After appearing on Shark Tank, FlyWithWine was ready to significantly increase sales before Christmas. A key point highlighted on Shark Tank was parental control by the lead investor, hoping they would buy him out at some point. Also, despite lifetime growth sales of $19 million, profits were disappointing.
You can find their products in over 500 tasting rooms, specialty shops, breweries, airport stores and distilleries across the U.S., Europe, Canada, Australia, China and Brazil. They are now available in major retail brands including Macy’s, Neiman Marcus and Williams Sonoma.
Customers can order through Amazon’s official store and online at FlyWithWine.com. VinGardeValise luggage ranges in price from $289.95 to $379.95, while VinXplorer backpacks range in price from $159.95 to $199.95.
The $379.95 suitcase is their best-selling item on Amazon, with an average rating of 4.7 stars out of 123 reviews. While FlyWithWine is known for this suitcase, they also sell other products such as glassware, wine storage, personal luggage, and accessories.
After appearing on Shark Tank, the founders opened up about their plans to expand their product line. In the next six months, they hope to launch more innovative wine-related products for both air and land travel.
Categories: Shark Tank
Source: svlsf.edu.vn