Turbo Trusser: Here's What Happened After Shark Tank

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If you've ever tried to make your own rotisserie chicken, you know that trussing the bird can be one of the most irksome steps. It's an acquired skill, and doing it incorrectly can lead to unevenly cooked poultry that doesn't look or taste very good. However, a pair of innovators created a tool that makes trussing simple: the Turbo Trusser.

Entrepreneurs and inventors Brian Halasinski and Kirk Hyust appeared on Season 14, Episode 2 of "Shark Tank," presenting their Turbo Trusser before panelists Robert Herjavec, Barbara Corcoran, Mark Cuban, Lori Greiner, and Kevin O'Leary. Dressed in a chicken suit and a turkey suit, the innovators introduced their stainless steel, dishwasher-safe, made-in-the-USA product.

Looking a bit like a decorative pair of poultry manacles, the Turbo Trusser attaches to the fowl quickly and easily, replacing the messy and more complicated process of trussing a bird with butcher's twine. The device can be secured to a bird in less than 30 seconds and holds the poultry together expertly, locking in juices and flavor for even cooking. In addition to turkeys and chickens, the Turbo Trusser can be used for other birds, including pheasants, ducks, and Cornish game hens. Beyond versatility with different poultry, the tool works across cooking devices, including ovens, grills, smokers, roasters, rotisseries, deep fryers, and air fryers. Whatever method a cook prefers, the Turbo Trusser has them covered. But would any Sharks decide to invest?

Brian Halasinski and Kirk Hyust — who had attended culinary school and worked as a sous chef — had collaborated on six unsuccessful products before creating the Turbo Trusser. The inventors sought a $100,000 investment from the Sharks in exchange for a 10% stake in their company. They invited Kevin O'Leary to join them in a demonstration of the product. They also shared chicken samples with the panelists from a bird cooked that day using their device.

Halasinski and Hyust shared that they had sold 11,000 units so far, with only one returned product among them. After eight months in business, they had achieved $90,000 in sales, with 60% coming from their website and 27% through distributors. They also had their product in 75 stores.

Barbara Corcoran commented that the men seemed to have small sales and a small business, without room for a third party. Halasinski replied that he and his partner were not marketing experts and needed help with exposure and social media.

One by one, the Sharks declined the offer, leaving only O'Leary. He played hardball, demanding a 33% stake and a $1 royalty in perpetuity for every unit sold, prompting Corcoran to call him a "greedy bastard" (via YouTube). After much back and forth, with no budging from O'Leary when they tried to negotiate him down, the innovators accepted his deal.

Following its "Shark Tank" appearance, Turbo Trusser's sales increased sevenfold, and the company transitioned from shipping out of a garage to fulfilling nationwide orders on Amazon. The mass exposure from the show often challenges "Shark Tank" entrepreneurs, who typically receive little notice before their episode airs to boost inventory. This was the case for the Turbo Trusser team, which had only three weeks of lead time. The sudden flood of orders can result in shortages, but fortunately, Turbo Trusser's products were manufactured close to home, allowing the team to quickly restock and meet demand.

After "Shark Tank," the Turbo Trusser team worked with Kevin O'Leary and his O'Leary Ventures to grow their business. O'Leary promoted the product extensively, including appearances on QVC and "Good Morning America's" weekday third-hour program. He has referred to the Turbo Trusser as one of his "favorite deals in 'Shark Tank' history" (via Facebook).

The invention has since received widespread media exposure from outlets like Forbes, CBS, and Inventors Digest. Additionally, the company began showcasing the Turbo Trusser at trade shows. The device won top honors — a platinum purchase order — at the international "Into the Blue" pitch event hosted by Lowe's Home Improvement, which got the Turbo Trusser into Lowe's stores.

Turbo Trusser remains very much in business. In 2023, the company announced it had surpassed 31,000 sales — 20,000 more than at the time of the "Shark Tank" taping the year before.

Since then, the company has released various other products, including cream cheese and cheese platters designed for smoking, grilling, and heating cheeses. Another product, Turbo Staxx, allows multiple pans of food to cook at once in an oven, grill, or smoker. Other additions include spice rubs — its Cluckin' Hot Rub is available on Amazon — a poultry brine and injection kit, a grill basket, and a jalapeño popper rack.

The original Turbo Trusser has over 1,100 ratings on Amazon. Customers praise the enhanced juiciness and tenderness of meat cooked with the product, as well as the improved infusion of herbs and spices. One user, after preparing a tasty smoked turkey with the Turbo Trusser, said the bird retained so much juice that they "had to mop the floor" after resting the meat because of the moisture that poured out (via Facebook).

The Turbo Trusser brand continues to grow. In 2024, the company announced it had reached $1 million in gross sales, a notable leap from the $90,000 recorded at the time of the "Shark Tank" taping two years earlier.

Future plans for Turbo Trusser include expanding its retail presence, with a goal of placing product displays near supermarket turkey sections during the holiday season. The founders also intend to leverage Kevin O'Leary's connections to enter larger retail chains, while contemplating international expansion.

Given the inventors' drive and their release of multiple new products in a short time, it's likely that additional inventions will join the Turbo Trusser brand family. As the company continues to move forward, O'Leary's mentorship is no small asset. As he reminded the innovators during their "Shark Tank" pitch, he has helped other food gadget brands succeed, including the Bertello ovens brand, another "Shark Tank" alumnus. With that $1 royalty rolling in from every Turbo Trusser sale, O'Leary certainly has incentive to keep the brand thriving.