Float N Grill on 'Shark Tank': What is the cost, who are the founders and can this griller really float?
For many outdoor enthusiasts especially the ones that enjoy spending time in the water, their biggest concern has always been the variety of food available while in the water. Sure, one can always have a big bag of chips or a sandwich, etc, but nothing beats some greasy food like burgers or nicely grilled meat while basking in the sand bar. Mikey Bashawaty, one of Float N Grill's founders, faced the same issues while he was out boating on Michigan waters on his 16-foot boat.
So he decided to club his love for grilling and spending time in water by designing a grill that could be used in water. Mikey created a prototype of his brilliant idea and shared it with his friend and co-founder of Float N Grill, Jeremy Quillico. Jeremy was instantly intrigued by the unique product, and after a bit of online research, he realized that theirs was the only grill in the market that could float in the water and be used in the water. The duo then decided to share their unique invention with the world. Read on to know all about Float N Grill.
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What is Float N Grill?
Float N Grill can simply be described as a griller that floats in the water. Float N Grill is a boon for people that spend a lot of time near water and crave for yummy grilled food instead of the same old sandwiches and chips. This nifty griller device is made in the US and manufactured at International Mold Corporation in Clinton Township, Michigan.
It is made from textured marine-grade vinyl and a slot that holds the propane tank in place. It also has a built-in-igniter so that one need not carry any matches with them, and two latches to lock the grill lid tight, alongside a removable grease tap that makes the cleaning of the device easy. One of the next parts of this machine is the cup holders that can hold the user's beer while they are grilling something on the machine. The machine weighs 9 pounds and is 35.5 inches long by 26.5 wide by 6.5 inches tall. According to the brand's website the grill machine is perfectly engineered and made out of "HDPE plastic (food grade) it's guaranteed safe. We've also added UV protection so colors never fade. And it comes with 3 built-in cup holders, 2 tow hooks, and can be completely broken down for easy storage."
They also claim it to be eco-friendly and flip-resistant, "Our specially designed grease trap keeps the mess out of the water, and all in one place for easy disposal."
Who are the founders?
Mikey Bashawaty and Jeremy Quillico are the founders of Float N Grill. On the brand's website, Jeremy describes how Float N came about to be. "Our story starts off around 3 years ago when Mike was still married and decided to buy a boat right before his wedding. The boat was a 16ft. jet boat that was nothing special but was a way to get to the local lake's sandbar. After the first few trips out there Mike quickly realized he was growing old of chips, sandwiches, and cold subs. The issue at the time was the size of the boat. Mike could only fit about 3 friends and a cooler on board."
"After being at the sandbar all day, he and his friends wanted something else to eat besides what they were used to. So on one summer day, Mike created the first of many prototypes. He stopped by my (Jeremy) house to show me this thing, and I mentioned I've never seen anything like it. I quickly did a small search online to see if any were actually being sold. To my and Mike's surprise, we couldn't find anything. That's when the idea of turning Mike's side project into an actual product was realized. And from that moment on 3+ years ago we've been developing, researching, and testing together to bring you what we have today," revealed the website.
Jeremy graduated from Eastern Michigan University and received his BS in Cyber Security. He currently works for a manufacturing plant as their Senior Systems Administrator. Mike studied diesel technology and mechanical engineering. He owns and operates his own diesel shop. Both the founders currently still work at their day jobs alongside running Float N Grill. In an interview with MLive Mikey explained, "We did our research and nothing like this existed. We started this project together. We share it 50/50. I managed the design and Jeremy pushed forward for a patent.”
What is the cost and where to buy Float N Grill?
You can get your very own Float N Grill machine for $229 either from the brand's website or Amazon. They come in two color options: Red and blue. The product currently has 4.5 stars from four reviewers on Amazon. A user named Kyle Stabley wrote, "Very cool addition to my boating accessories. Love spending the day on the lake and pulling out my new grill while hanging out on the sandbar. Turns a lot of heads too.."
Another user left the review, "Used this product weekly at the local sandbar. Biggest hit on the water. Works better than the grill on my patio. Easy to assemble and use, durable. Highly recommend."
Where is Float N Grill now?
According to All Shark Tank Products, the duo raised an initial capital in 2018 through Angel List. Two rounds in March and June of that year raised a total of $130,000. They also began advertising on Facebook and launched their website in May 2018. Mike and Jeremy began to promote the product at boat and outdoor shows. They attended the Detroit Boat Show in February of 2019 and Sun & Snow exhibition in Plymouth, Michigan, in July 2019.
This isn't their first stint on 'Shark Tank'. The duo auditioned for Shark Tank a few years earlier while they were still developing the grill. Unfortunately, they didn't make the cut. But they weren't ready to give up. In 2019, when the casting call was announced they once again tried their luck and managed to book a spot to pitch their unique product to the Sharks. Now we will just have to wait and see if any of the Sharks will decide to close the deal with them.
Who will steal the deal?
Either Daniel Lubetzky or Chef Wonderful aka Kevin O'Leary might end up investing in Float N Grill. Ultimately the brand's sales numbers and profit margins will be the major deciding factor for the sharks on whether to invest in the business or not. So, we will just have to wait and watch to see if the Sharks even make a deal.
Catch 'Shark Tank' Season 12 Episode 24 featuring products like FlingGolf, Float N Grill, Pluto Pillow, and Stretchlace on May 14, 2021, from 8 pm ET to 9 pm ET on ABC.
Missed an episode? Been wanting to catch up? Episodes can also be viewed the next day on demand and on Hulu. Not just that, you can also watch old seasons and episodes on Amazon Prime Video and iTunes.