BagBowl: Here's What Happened After Shark Tank

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Many pitching mishaps have occurred over multiple seasons of "Shark Tank." Yet well over a decade later, some might still recall when investors instantly lost a Shark due to an unfortunate nickname: referring to Mark Cuban as "Cubes" (via YouTube). Yep, on Season 4 Episode 4 of "Shark Tank", brothers Brian and Kevin Fleming came to present their invention BagBowl, and experienced the heat-of-the-moment blunder.

The Flemings' BagBowl is a plastic, cylindrical, collapsible holder, made to prop up flimsy disposable packaging into usable bowls. Longtime inventor Kevin Fleming came up with the concept for his dog, but soon diversified into broader packaging applications. Kevin then asked his brother Brian Fleming, who has a background in marketing and real estate, to join the venture and aid in sales and development.

Aesthetically reminiscent of Walmart's silicone food storage containers, BagBowls popped up with enough of a unique concept to generate intrigue. The brothers received the 2011 New Product Innovation Award at the IHA trade show, and submitted their invention to Walmart's Get On the Shelf contest. With momentum under their belt, the Flemings took the idea to "Shark Tank," with their episode airing on October 5, 2012.

The Fleming brothers launched straight into their "Shark Tank" pitch with a blend of charisma and goofiness, rapid-firing through BagBowl's capabilities using barks and laughs. The two inventors asked for $40,000 for 33% equity, a monetary amount that equaled their own investment in the company. Their pitch generated smiles and amusement, but skepticism among the Sharks settled in quick.

First, Kevin O'Leary questioned the need for the product, noting the already ubiquitous nature of bowls and incompatibility with food packaging companies. Next, Lori Greiner intuitively inquired what made the concept irreplicable, to which the Fleming brothers noted a pending utility patent — a not-assured-enough answer for the Sharks. The Fleming brothers instilled a touch more confidence when they revealed the BagBowl had won an innovation award, but the lack of pre-existing sales cemented resistance. Soon after, Mark Cuban referred to the brothers as "wantrepreneurs" and swiftly dropped out with the nickname incident (via YouTube). Daymond John and O'Leary immediately opted out, too.

Nevertheless, Robert Herjavec expressed interest in the invention — noting possible success via licensing deals — and offered $40,000 for 45% equity. Then, much to the surprise of fellow Sharks, Greiner stood up to inspect the BagBowl up close. She shot down patent and licensing potential, but instead revealed confidence in BagBowl direct-from-TV sales. As a result, she offered the initial $40,000 for 33% equity, which the Flemings accepted following an awkward moment of deliberation.

It took a few months for BagBowl to hit the shelves after the episode aired, but eventually, the product listed on Amazon, Zulily, TSC, the QVC websites, as well as some brick-and-mortar retail locations. Resales of BagBowl appeared on eBay, with the occasional listing floating around to this day.

The Fleming brothers promoted BagBowl through varying strategies, like releasing a Super Bowl–themed design and conducting interviews on Kansas City television. In 2013, Lori Greiner even appeared on QVC to advertise the product. A few favorable reviews for BagBowl emerged, but the device did not achieve widespread buzz. A Facebook post in June 2015 revealed expansion of sales to Canada, the last promising development for this "Shark Tank" venture. Unfortunately, the company's last post on social media occurred in 2016, an ominous premonition of BagBowl's closure in 2018.

Simultaneously, the brothers pursued other inventions under the Daddio Design brand, while Kevin Fleming operated an LLC titled Rivet Industries. They started a Kickstarter for a Spill Stopper Training Cup in January of 2013, collecting nearly $12,000 in pledges. Kevin also released other inventions like the Dog Paw Washer — which sold at PetSmart.

The Fleming brothers' five-year run with BagBowl officially ended in 2018. The company's former website domain expired, and sales under their Daddio Designs venture also concluded. While the Fleming brothers never publicly revealed their revenue, product sales likely did not achieve initial projections. Consumers took issue with durability — a central concern that gave the product few advantages over using throwaway takeout containers.

The Fleming brothers never found their footing in the competitive kitchenware packaging space. Even storage bags from Trader Joe's serve a similar role, and Ziploc products are already considered reusable up to 10 times, underscoring the tight competition in the retail, outdoor, and homeware markets. Essentially, the Flemings failed to establish a container production and distribution system that could compete with such saturated offerings. It's unknown precisely what caused the Flemings to pull the plug, but BagBowl is very likely done for good. One can buy a resold BagBowl as a "Shark Tank" collectible, but few other relics of the business remain.

After their time in the food and retail entrepreneurship attempt, the brothers have resumed their former careers. As of November 2025, Brian Fleming continues his realtor business through the Kansas City–based BF Real Estate Team. According to his Instagram, he's selling many houses and spends time with his three daughters. In line with his charismatic "Shark Tank" appearance, he also competed on "Wheel of Fortune," where he delivered entertaining quips about his opera-singing hobby.

Kevin Fleming shifted his career back to marketing in 2021. Although he left product development, he has continued his consulting work. As of November 2025, he's the Director of Marketing at RapidScale, works as a self-employed B2B marketing strategist, and co-founded a company called EdgeCraft AI. So although both Fleming brothers may not be in the retail business, they continue to showcase their entrepreneurial spirit in other industries.