Dave Petrillo and Dave Jackson, mechanical engineers from New Jersey were the brains behind the development of the Coffee Joulies. The Joulies were small, stainless-steel capsules that contained an ingenious material designed to cool a hot beverage to a drinkable temperature quickly. The capsules would then maintain the drink at that temperature for a long period of time.

They sought initial funding from a Kickstarter campaign in March 2011. Their target goal was $9,500 and they achieved this within 3 days. By the end of the month long campaign they had received a big boost from Kickstarter. 4,800 backers pledged over $300,000 to help them see their vision through to completion. Their early success and the large amount of financial backing allowed them to complete the manufacturing process and develop their idea into a finished product.

Coffee Joulies On Shark Tank

The partners appeared on Shark Tank in early 2013 seeking a $150,000 investment in return for a 5% stake in their business.

Dave Jackson began the confidently delivered pitch by revealing that coffee was usually served at 179 degrees Fahrenheit, far too hot to drink. The drinker would have to wait until the beverage was at a drinkable temperature and then drink it rapidly before it became too cold.

Dave Petrillo explained the function of the Coffee Joulies. When placed in hot coffee, they would absorb the heat from the drink, allowing it to reach an optimum temperature within minutes. The Joulies would then release the stored heat back into the drink, keeping it within the perfect drinking range for twice as long. If they were used in a vacuum-insulated travel mug, the drink would be at the perfect temperature in five minutes, and would stay that way for over five hours.

The sharks were given coffee that had been poured three hours earlier. The visibly steaming drinks seemed to impress them, particularly Robert Herjavec who raised an eyebrow at how hot the coffee was after such a long time.

Lori Greiner pointed out that a Thermos would keep coffee hot. Dave Petrillo countered that a Thermos would keep coffee too hot, and it would remain that way for a long time, unlike the Joulies which would cool it quickly.

Mark Cuban asked how the Joulies monitored the heat of the drink. Dave Jackson explained that a material within them absorbed heat from the drink until it reached a comfortable drinking temperature of 140 degrees. At that point the process reversed, releasing the stored heat back into the drink to keep it warm.

Lori asked what the product was made out of. Dave Petrillo explained the casing was high grade stainless-steel and the heat absorbing material was a propitiatory phase change material.

‘Did you come up with it?’ Robert Herjavec asked.

Dave Jackson admitted that they hadn’t, explaining that another manufacturer produced the phase-change material. He confirmed that the material was fully-tested and safe, it was primarily plant-based, edible and non-toxic. Mark Cuban pushed for more details, inquiring exactly what the material was. ‘As soon as you sign a non-disclosure agreement we can talk about that’ answered Dave Jackson with a smile.

Dave Petrillo spoke up, they had already been issued with a design patent and had a utility patent pending, the brand had also been trademarked.

‘Does this work with tea as well?’ asked Daymond. The partners confirmed that Joulies would work with any hot drink, from soup to hot-chocolate.

‘And you only need one?’ asked Lori, looking interested.

‘One per 4 ounces of coffee, is our guideline’ divulged Dave Jackson, to mixed reactions from the sharks. ‘There’s five in your coffee right now’ added his partner.

‘You’ve got to walk around like you’ve got a pack of marbles on you.’ stated Daymond, looking unimpressed.

Robert Herjavec was a coffee drinker but didn’t carry a mug around, he couldn’t see himself carrying Joulies around either. He asked the partners who the product was aimed at. Dave Petrillo said that previous sales had largely been promoted as gift items.

Lori asked about manufacturing costs, Dave confirmed that each Joulie cost $3.65 to make and test. They retailed at $50 for a set of five.

Robert inquired what the previous years sales had been. $575,000 was the answer. Both Lori and Robert looked impressed at that, but Kevin O’Leary wanted to know how much profit had been made from that figure. Dave Petrillo admitted that they had only made $50,000 profit, however, that included hefty expenses in tooling, patents and legal fees.

When asked by Robert what sales could be expected in the coming year, Dave confidently predicted over a million dollars. He explained that previous sales had mainly been online but they saw themselves moving into the wholesale market.

Daymond John remarked on the low amount of equity being offered, only 5% in exchange for $150,000. He seemed unimpressed with such a low amount of equity on the table and he believed the other sharks would feel the same way. He dropped out of negotiations at this point.

Kevin O’Leary initially seemed of the same mind, he stated that when funding start-ups he would usually seek a minimum interest of 33%. He made an alternative offer, he would provide the required $150,000 in exchange for a royalty of $6 per unit until the investment had been repaid. The royalty figure would then drop to just $1 in perpetuity.

‘I’ll go into the deal with you’ Lori said to Kevin ‘If you’d like a partner’, confirming that she was confident that QVC could get behind the product. Kevin quickly welcomed her in. Robert wanted part of the action too, he asserted to Kevin that he could help get the Joulies into retailers quickly.

Kevin attempted to sell the idea there and then to the two Daves, pointing out that they would have three sharks behind them, and yet still retain 100% of the business if they took the deal.

Dave Petrillo wanted to see if Mark Cuban had an offer before accepting.

Mark, glad of the chance to speak, suggested that retail and wholesale was not a good direction for the business to go in, calling the idea ‘crazy’. He felt that that approach would cause large costs for the business and would leave the product in the control of the large retailers selling them. He favored a slower build-up, for the product and the business. ‘You’ve got to crawl before you can ball’ was his advice.

Lori disagreed passionately, affirming that she had achieved half a billion dollars in sales by doing the exact opposite. She explained her approach was based on getting a product sold as much, and as quickly as possible. Getting the brand known to as large a consumer base as was achievable was the way to succeed in her opinion, following Mark’s advice would lead to the business progressing at a snail’s pace.

Clearly swayed by the enthusiasm shown by the other sharks, Daymond had a change of heart at this point and said that he would like to join the collective offer made by Kevin, Lori and Robert. There was some gentle ribbing from Robert about his earlier dismissal of the business but Kevin spoke up in his defence, describing Daymond as ‘Mr Retail’. The other sharks agreed that he would be a great asset to the partnership and with that he was back in the negotiations.

Mark Cuban preferred to invest alone, he made an offer to the partners, $250,000 for a 12% stake in the business with no additional royalties involved. He didn’t like the idea of a retail business and envisaged the business as one that could be sold after further development. He felt that on-going royalties would have a negative effect on any future negotiations selling the company.

Kevin disagreed completely ‘It happens every day’ he stated.

Mark continued, claiming that a company could not grow sufficiently just by being on QVC every day. Lori, the queen of QVC, wasn’t going to let that pass. She cited the immensely successful George Foreman grill that had started off doing exactly that and had still managed to become one of the biggest selling products ever.

The Daves requested a break in order to consult with an advisor at this point as the two offers were so different in nature, and each were connected to a different strategy.

While the partners were speaking to their advisor, Robert pointed out to Kevin that the royalty figure of $6 was too high for wholesale sales, mainly due to the manufacturing cost of the product. Robert had perceived misgivings from the partners about the royalty amount and was convinced that if the shark partnership didn’t offer a more attractive arrangement then they were in danger of losing the deal. All four sharks involved in the offer were swayed by Robert’s convictions and Kevin interrupted the consultation with their advisor to propose an improved deal. Royalties would remain at $6 per retail unit, but would be only $3 per wholesale unit until the $150,000 investment was recouped. The royalties would then drop to $1 per unit in perpetuity, as agreed previously.

The sharks were clearly keen to strike a deal, ‘They’re talking a long time’ noticed Lori. ‘They are, its not usually a good sign’ replied Robert, looking slightly concerned.

When the partners returned, Kevin quickly summarized the two available offers, emphasizing that only one of the offers contained several covenants.

Mark Cuban defended his offer ‘No covenants, just a difference in strategy and approach’

Dave Petrillo thanked Mark for his offer but confirmed that he and his partner would be taking the deal offered by the other four sharks, there were smiles all round and a flurry of handshakes. Mark took the rejection well and sat through some banter directed at him from the other sharks, but he kept on smiling.

Coffee Joulies After Shark Tank – 2026 Update

As far as we can tell, the deal with the sharks never closed. However, sales did go up after they appeared on the show. They also started selling the product on Amazon. Not only that, but they also landed a deal with OfficeMax and Bed Bath & Beyond, who agreed to sell their products at a number of locations. They even offered a discount for those who bought them together with their Thermos insulated mugs.

However, many reviews were negative (they had a 3.5-star rating on Amazon out of 181 reviews). In fact, some went as far as calling them a waste of money as they seemingly did nothing but take up space in the cup.

Wanting to expand their line of products, the company eventually introduced the Booze Joulies in 2015. Similar to the original, it’s designed to help cool and maintain beverages- alcoholic ones (e.g. tequila, vodka, and whisky), to be specific. They seemed to have changed manufacturers, however, as they are made in China, whereas the original was made in the USA.

That’s not all, they also came out with a double-wall glass mug. According to the product page, it’s 50% thicker than other glass mugs and insulates much better than normal ceramic mugs. It also comes with a silicone lid that traps heat that would otherwise evaporate through the top. At one point, they also sold a variety of accessories on their site.

As of 2026, their website is still online but everything seems to be “sold out”, including their Coffee Joulies, Booze Joulies, and glass mugs. From the looks of it, it’s been like that for a while so we wouldn’t be surprised if they stopped manufacturing the products altogether. Their social media pages are also inactive. Their Facebook page hasn’t been updated since September 2017 and their Instagram has been deleted. Perhaps they’re just waiting for the website domain to expire? Because it sure looks that way seeing as how it hasn’t been updated in a long time.

What is Dave Petrillo up to now? According to his LinkedIn profile, he’s currently a Staff Hardware Lead at Peloton Interactive. Prior to that, he was a Senior Product Design Engineer and Engineering Consultant. Interestingly enough, he also has Coffee Joulies listed as an active position.

We couldn’t find any information on Dave Jackson, however. For all we know, he probably went back to his day job.

The post Coffee Joulies 2026 Update – Find Out What Happened After Shark Tank appeared first on Gazette Review.

Aaron Krause, from Philadelphia, came to the shark tank in October 2012 with a scrubbing product that he believed would make everyday cleaning easier. Doesn’t sound too exciting does it? Well it did when Aaron shared it with the sharks.

After announcing that he was seeking a $100,000 investment in exchange for 10% equity in the Scrub Daddy business, Aaron launched into a fast paced, almost frantic introduction of Scrub Daddy. He described it as the cutest and most high-tech scrubbing tool in the World. The sharks looked doubtful at that, seemingly unimpressed with what looked like an everyday sponge with a smiley face carved into it.

Explaining that the sponge completely changes its texture when immersed in water of different temperatures, Aaron exhibited this impressive quality by briefly soaking two identical sponges in separate bowls of water, one hot, and one cold. He then demonstrated that one of the sponges remained soft and springy, yet the other had become rock-hard, fully able to support a ten pound weight.

While the sharks were still taking this in, Aaron moved at breakneck speed into a demonstration of the now hardened sponge on a stainless-steel pan and a glass stove-top, removing stubborn stains to great effect, using just water, and without scratching.

The sharks were looking fairly impressed by this stage, but Aaron, who didn’t seem to need to draw breath throughout the demonstration, showed how easy it was to restore the now filthy sponge back to its former pristine state with just a quick rinse of water. He finished off with a demonstration of how the smile, not just cosmetic, but functional as well, could be used to clean both sides of kitchen utensils easily and quickly.

The sharks were impressed by the enthusiasm and quality of Aaron’s pitch and there were appreciative comments from them all when it was completed.

Daymond John commented that the pitch was incredible, and asked if Aaron had samples, which were handed to the sharks. Lori Greiner, the queen of QVC asked where Scrub Daddy was currently being sold. Aaron explained that five supermarkets in the Philadelphia area were selling the product, and it was also being sold from the Scrub Daddy website. Aaron had, in addition, also appeared on QVC three times with great success, being invited back every time and achieving a 30% increase in sales after every appearance. Robert Herjavec asked what the total sales had been so far, and looked impressed at the answer of over $100,000 in only four months.

When quizzed by Kevin O’Leary what the $100K investment would be used for, Aaron outlined his plan to set up his own manufacturing facility, as the current manufacturer would be unable to meet the future demand that he expected his product to have within a suitable time-frame. He explained he had many years experience managing a manufacturing plant and needed a strategic partner to help him open up the retail opportunities for his product.

He was then asked about the cost, which was approximately $1, with a retail price of $2.80. Kevin and Robert expressed doubts at the high-price and Aaron defended it, stating that it was a top-quality product which couldn’t be compared to a cheap low-quality one. After some discussion of sales strategies, Robert dropped out of the negotiations, unable to see a viable market.

Mark Cuban, expressed doubts about the profitability and market for a single product mainly sold through QVC. Aaron countered Mark’s doubts by explaining his plans for a range of associated products that would be brought out in the future, exclaiming at one point ‘you don’t know who you’re dealing with’, which made the sharks smile, but ultimately, Mark was still unimpressed, and also dropped out.

An amazing round of offers and counter-offers.

Kevin O’Leary stepped up with an initial offer at this point, offering Aaron the requested $100K, for 50% of the company, but Aaron didn’t seem impressed with that at all.

Daymond expressed his admiration of the success that Lori had had with QVC in the past, and offered $50,000 in exchange for 15%, but on the condition that Lori and Aaron could agree on a deal for the other $50K that Aaron had requested.

All eyes went to Lori, the clear authority amongst the sharks for this type of product and business model. Describing the Scrub Daddy as a hero, and not a zero, she rebuffed Daymond’s offer with a stinging ‘No offence Daymond, but I don’t need you’. She went on to offer Aaron the full $100K in exchange for 30%, further sweetening the offer with a confident claim that she could get the product sold in stores nationwide within weeks.

Kevin O’Leary, seeing a money-making opportunity slipping away from him at this point, then made another offer with unusual terms. He would give Aaron $100K for no claim in the company, but in exchange for 50 cents on each unit sold, until the $100K was repaid, and then a further 10 cents per unit in perpetuity.

The negotiations began to speed up now as all the sharks tried to get in on what they clearly saw as a good product with a bright future. Daymond increased his offer to £150K for a 25% stake in the business.

Aaron, looking very happy by now, barely had time to consider this before Lori moved in again with an improved offer, $100K for only 25% of the business this time, stressing to Aaron her vast experience in the cleaning products market, and her extensive retail contacts.

Kevin wasn’t going to let that ride, asking Aaron why he would want to give away any part of his company when he didn’t need to. Lori once again stressed her superior contacts within retail and how she could give Scrub Daddy the best coverage and retail opportunities.

Things became slightly heated at this point, with Lori, Kevin and Daymond all speaking and trying to convince Aaron of the relative benefits of working with them.

Robert, no longer directly involved in the negotiations, tried to help a flustered looking Aaron out at this point by attempting to recap all the offers available to him.

Lori improved her offer yet again before he could even finish, now offering $150K for a 25% stake, also promising Aaron ‘I’ll make you a millionaire, within a year.’

A shell-shocked Aaron had barely even considered that before Daymond jumped in yet again, offering $175K for 25%. Within a second Lori upped the stakes even further, ‘Mine just went to two’ she said to general amazement, now offering $200K for a 25% stake.

Daymond dropped out at this point, cheekily suggesting he had cost Lori an extra $100K with his additional offers, she didn’t seem particularly upset.

The incredible string of options offered to Aaron weren’t completed yet, Kevin then offered to let Aaron repay a $100K loan at a reduced rate of 25 cents per unit, and after some bargaining from Aaron, agreed to only 7.5 cents per unit in perpetuity after the loan was repaid.

Under great pressure from all the remaining involved sharks, and clearly overwhelmed by the wealth of different offers available to him, Aaron asked Lori if she would consider dropping her share of the equity to only 20%. After a second long pause, Lori agreed and a delighted Aaron instantly confirmed they had a deal.

There have been few other episodes of shark tank where the predatory tactics of the sharks competing for a deal have been so clearly displayed, and the fantastic result achieved by the immensely likeable Aaron after such a remarkable string of offers would bring a smile to the hardest of hearts.

Scrub Daddy Now in 2018 Update

Its no real surprise that a product that got the sharks into such a frenzy of excitement has not only done well, but has become the most successful product in the shows history. With over $50 million in sales and over 10 million units sold.

Following his appearance on Shark tank, Aaron was approached by Bed Bath & Beyond and ShopRite and he quickly secured deals with both companies. With the assistance of Lori Greiner, it wasn’t long before deals had also been secured with some giants of retail, Staples and Target, with an additional deal with Ace Hardware following shortly afterwards.

Manufacturing is now done in-house, with Scrub Daddy employing 50 people in its factory in Folcroft, Pennsylvania. Aaron has made good on his claim to develop additional products. Along with Lori’s help, the Scrub Mommy and Sponge Daddy are now also available alongside the original Scrub Daddy.

Aaron and Lori continue to work closely together and have forged a strong business relationship that has taken the company to deservedly great heights. The incredible success enjoyed by both of them hasn’t stopped the irrepressible Aaron aiming even higher, he wants to make Scrub Daddy a Worldwide household name, alongside such cleaning giants as Brillo and Lysol. For Aaron, and for Scrub Daddy, the future is as gleaming bright as the dishes that it cleans.

The post Scrub Daddy Update – What Happened After Shark Tank appeared first on Gazette Review.