Where Is Bottle Breacher From Shark Tank Today?
The U.S. military has contributed quite a lot to American cuisine, something that is not always obvious. For instance, did you know the military played a role in M&M's early days or that McDonald's drive-thrus were created with the military in mind? Unlike those examples, though, Bottle Breacher is clearly inspired by military aesthetics, too.
Bottle Breacher first appeared on Season 6 Episode 8 of "Shark Tank" as part of a special installment celebrating Veterans Small Business Week. One former Navy SEAL, Eli Crane, and his wife offered the Sharks 10% stake in their venture for $150,000. Its product — personalized bottle openers made from recycled bullets — was targeted at beer-drinking men, and it did wonders in the groomsman-gift market, generating half a million dollars through mostly online sales.
Lori Greiner, afraid the controversial image of gun culture in the United States might make it too niche of a market, said "no," as did Robert Herjavec. Daymond John did make an offer, but ultimately, he was undercut by a Kevin-O'Leary-and-Mark-Cuban tag team. Crane eagerly accepted their deal.
That was just the beginning of Crane's success story. In fact, he would appear on "Shark Tank" two more times, as well as its spin-off show: "Beyond the Tank." Crane even later opened a second business and eventually became a congressional representative.
Bottle Breacher breached the market
In the years following Bottle Breacher's televised pitch, the company thrived. Only a dozen episodes later, in Season 6 Episode 20, the startup was featured during an update segment, where Bottle Breacher confirmed it experienced the "Shark Tank" bump. As a result, its website actually crashed when 60,000 units sold in the one week after airing on TV. "We went from making 175 a day," Crane told the cameras, "to having to make over a thousand a day." His wife also revealed they had hit $2.5 million in sales to date. The operation moved into a new facility, as well, and doubled its work force — then doubled it again — hiring several veterans in the process. Of course, it had been difficult to supply rapidly increasing demand, resulting in backorders, but Bottle Breacher gradually overcame that hurdle.
Bottle Breacher made its way onto "Shark Tank" yet again in Season 7 Episode 3 as part of a particularly unique update segment. When a different couple asked O'Leary to officiate their wedding, he gathered a few of his investments to provide wedding gifts for the occasion. Bottle Breacher, naturally, brought its 20-millimeter bullet bottle opener, and Mr. Wonderful said he was adding the brand to his new "Something Wonderful" wedding platform. This made financial sense, since Bottle Breacher's lifetime sales were over $4 million then. "It became an emotional connection with the product," O'Leary reflected on "Beyond the Tank" (via YouTube).
Crane moved on to bigger opportunities
A lot has changed for Bottle Breacher in the early 2020s. When the new decade rolled around, Crane did an interview with the Small Business Journal, where he talked about his journey and brand-new business. He'd learned a lot from Bottle Breacher and working with Sharks, echoing Cuban's advice to "follow the green, not the dream." Resilience was key, as well, he explained, noting that failure is always a possibility but not one that should discourage entrepreneurs long term. That was the mindset he went in with for Sabino Gifts, his latest startup. It was designed to be less niche than Bottle Breacher, having added a "feminine touch" to its lineup. However, it seems Crane was right to prepare for failure, since Sabino Gifts no longer exists.
Or perhaps it's better to say that Crane found success elsewhere. He actually sold Bottle Breacher in 2022 to another patriotic couple, who continues to carry out his original vision, with some new products and apparel added to its offerings. Meanwhile, Crane ran a successful congressional campaign and became U.S. Representative for Arizona's Second Congressional District. Politically, Crane is, as Eli For Arizona puts it, "a faith-oriented, family man and is pro-life, pro-second amendment, and unafraid to take a stand against cancel culture and the radical left." Not everyone will agree with Crane's stances, but most can agree Bottle Breacher certainly made a strong, lasting impression on "Shark Tank."