Frywall: Here's What Happened After Shark Tank
Laid-off Brooklyn entrepreneur Yair Reiner appeared on "Shark Tank" during the hit ABC reality show's ninth season in 2018, pitching an innovative product called Frywall. The name doesn't lie. Frywall is a silicone insert that prevents food splatter like bacon grease from staining stovetops and kitchen walls. Not only can the Frywall withstand oven temperatures up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, but it's also dishwasher safe, and easily stored, leading its inventor to boast that there's no other product like it in the marketplace.
Reiner's asking price for 10% equity in the patented product was $100,000, and he backed it up with some rather impressive sales figures. Frywall, for example, had already earned $800,000 in revenue during its first year, with the majority of sales (70%) coming online. Despite the robust online presence for the product, however, Reiner noted that Frywall was also available in 55 retail outlets. The margins also looked good, as Frywall was selling for $25 against a production cost of only $5.50.
Reiner also mentioned that he was in talks with Bed Bath & Beyond, which could markedly change the scale of his retail presence. The only real setback to date for Frywall has been its inability to get approved for sale at Walmart. This disappointment would later be referenced by Shark Kevin "Mr. Wonderful" O'Leary, who trumpeted his ability to help in this regard when he made an offer for a stake in the product.
What happened to Frywall on Shark Tank
Reiner's appearance on "Shark Tank" was a memorable one, as it inspired one Shark to pull out a "golden ticket" that would have made Willy Wonka proud. O'Leary was the first to make an offer, but his fellow Sharks — which on this episode included Mark Cuban, Lori Greiner, Daymond John, and Robert Herjavec — weren't shy in providing counteroffers.
O'Leary's offer was a respectable one, as he offered $100,000 for 15% equity in Frywall, only 5% more than Reiner had initially asked for. It was so fair that Herjavec professed shock that O'Leary hadn't come up with one of his famed royalty offers, similar to the deal offered to Just The Cheese. Herjavec wasn't interested in making an offer himself, however. The same could not be said for Greiner, who not only offered Reiner exactly what he wanted — and an unlimited line of credit, to boot — but pulled out a golden ticket (real gold, she claimed), that the would-be investor insisted was reserved exclusively for the products she liked best.
Daymond John noted that he'd match Greiner's offer and throw in his gold tooth from high school. Reiner, meanwhile, indicated an interest in Greiner's proposal. The issue was that he wanted to hear from Cuban, too, a hesitation which prompted Greiner to threaten to pull her very generous offer. Cuban ultimately passed, though, clearing the way for Reiner to grab the golden ticket by making a deal with Greiner.
Frywall after Shark Tank
A messy duck breast was behind ardent home cook Reiner's invention of the Frywall in 2016. The product was getting rave reviews soon afterward. In fact, the Frywall was named the winner of Today's "Next Big Thing" contest in April 2017, nearly eight months before the product was unveiled on "Shark Tank" on January 7, 2018. An appearance on the QVC shopping network was Frywall's prize as the "Next Big Thing," and Reiner took advantage of the opportunity to hone the pitch that would soon win Lori Greiner's support.
But was the deal ever closed? Only about half the deals agreed to on "Shark Tank" are ever actually finalized — whether because of financial details that later come to light, or simply because one of the two would-be partners decides to opt-out. It seemed based on Greiner's enthusiasm – she called the product her favorite from that year — that the deal was a fait accompli. But tellingly, neither Greiner's website (nor Frywall's) mention each other (although Frywall's website and its Amazon page both reference the "Shark Tank" appearance).
Despite the lingering questions about Greiner's proposed deal, it appears Frywall did benefit from the so-called "Shark Tank" effect. Simply being on the show has been estimated to provide businesses with a $9 million marketing boost, and Frywall built upon its memorable "Shark Tank" appearance with positive media coverage from companies like CNBC, CBS, and Buzzfeed.
Is Frywall still in business?
Perhaps Gowanus Kitchen Lab LLC, the company for whom Yair Reiner is CEO, will innovate new products in the future. But for now, the company seems exclusively devoted to Frywall. Yes, Frywall is still available, and it's being sold in multiple sizes and colors (including Aqua, Black, Blue Jean, Gray, Green, Orange, and Red).
Frywall's website notes that the pan-fitting splatter guard is available in five sizes, with prices ascending based on the size of the pan for which the screens are intended. Screens for small eight-inch pans, for example, sell for $19.95 each while the Frywall version for extra large 13-inch pans retails for $29.95. All other sizes, and their respective prices, fall somewhere in the middle.
Walmart, which Reiner admitted on "Shark Tank" had rejected his product, has since reconsidered. The retail giant now sells the splatter guards, albeit only in basic Red. Online sales — which accounted for 70% of Frywall sales when Reiner appeared on "Shark Tank" in 2018 — still appear to be a strong suit. In addition to products sold through the Frywall website, splatter screens in an array of sizes and colors are also available via Amazon.
What's next for Frywall
Other than adding new sizes and colors, Frywall hasn't done anything newsworthy since its "Shark Tank" appearance. The News and Reviews section of the Frywall website, for example, shows no media mentions since 2019. Social media has also been rarely used. In fact, there have been zero posts on Facebook and Twitter in 2023, and only one on Instagram.
What does this mean? Given that the products are continuing to be sold through major online and retail outlets, it could mean that Frywall is doing just fine, and is too busy with sales to bother with touting its expanded produced line. Yahoo Finance gave credence to this idea in 2021 when it included Frywall in a roundup of best-selling "Shark Tank" products, noting that sales have been in the millions of dollars in the years since the show aired.
But it does seem odd that outside of sales bundles (with discounts available for multiple purchases) and the occasional new recipe on the Frywall YouTube channel to showcase its effectiveness as a cooking splatter guard, the product is getting almost no marketing or promotion. Perhaps its "Shark Tank" appearance was all it needed and now word of mouth is all it needs.