The Cup Board Pro is a special and unique product from a Shark Tank perspective. The product itself is a high-quality cutting board with a cup attachment. The board has a significant trough that runs alongside the length of the board to catch any liquid that runs off and deposits it in the cup. The cup can also be used to hold any peels and discarded bits and detached from the board to dispose of them in the trash easily. The product is simple and innovative, making chopping vegetables and other things significantly less messy. Anyone who has spent a significant amount of time using the chopping board in the kitchen knows that the process can create a lot of mess that has to be cleaned afterward. The Cup Board Pro helps you skip the cleanup and also helps save your counters from any juice stains.
The product is excellent in quality and use. However, the story attached to the product makes it even more special. The Cup Board Pro is an invention of Keith Young, a New York City fireman who prided himself on being the firehouse chef. Young was heroic in his on-field rescues but was also an excellent chef and provided his fellow firefighters with some delicious cooked meals. Young was ready to launch his invention when his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. Young left his product to care for his wife, who unfortunately passed away. Young then focused on his three children, but unfortunately, he was diagnosed with cancer, the kind he contracted from the fumes he took in during his cleanup services in the wake of 9/11. Young tragically passed away before he could start his Cup Board Pro business. His three children, a son, and two daughters, took it on themselves to carry their father’s legacy and continued the business.
The background of the product, combined with its quality and innovation, ensured it was a success. The Sibling’s appearance on Shark Tank struck an emotional chord, and the business has been increasingly successful since then. It would, however, be wrong to say that the company took off because of its background story. The product is widely acclaimed, and many customers swear by it for their meal prep. The business is now worth around $15 million, according to reports. The company is now a Shark Tank success story, along with the accolade of the most emotional Shark Tank pitch.
How Did The Shark Tank Pitch Go?
Christian, Keira, and Kaley Young walked into the Shark Tank pitch, hopeful of getting a deal to honor their father’s invention. The siblings ensured that their father got proper credit as the product was his invention. Instead of pitching the product themselves, they played their father’s audition tape for Shark Tank to keep him front and center. The siblings’ story and their confidence tinged with grief made it one of the most emotional Shark Tank pitches; there were plenty of tears and less of the usual banter.
The siblings introduced themselves and gave a brief description of the product. They told the Sharks about their father’s passion for the product and how he was unable to sell his product despite receiving his first batch of a thousand boards. There was a genuine response of shock and grief from the Sharks as the siblings revealed the tragic story of both their parents’ battles with cancer. The siblings, however, kept the mood hopeful with their smiles and continued to pitch their product. They asked for $100,000 for a 10% stake in their company.
Rather than demonstrating the product themselves, the siblings chose to let their father do the talking to honor his legacy. They played a video package showing Keith Young introducing his product and background. Young’s energy was infectious even through the video, and his love for his family was palpable. The mood around the pitch was visibly somber, with John Daymond unable to hold back his tears.
Keith Young demonstrated how the board and its cup attachment worked. He poured a cup of beet juice onto the board to demonstrate the trough caught the juice and directed it to the cup to ensure there was no mess on the counter. The Siblings revealed that their father wanted to pitch his product on Shark Tank, and the video was his Shark Tank audition. The Sharks told the sibling that their father was a great man.
The siblings handed out samples of the product to the Sharks. Lori Greiner marveled at the quality of the wood used to make the board and the fact that the cup extension could be detached easily. The board came with an engraved number of firefighters who died during cleanup in the wake of 9/11, giving it a special touch. The Sharks appreciated the product’s quality and the careful design.
The Sharks asked if the business had any sales and the siblings revealed they had just done around $10,000 in sales in the first 3 weeks; The Sharks encouraged the siblings after hearing these numbers.
John Daymond asked the Siblings if they could step outside for a moment, raising curiosity. After a bit of discussion the Sharks called the Siblings back in to make their offer. Mark Cuban clarified that considering the nature of the pitch, the Sharks did not want to fight among themselves, and all five Sharks had decided to be part of the deal. They would each contribute $20,000 to make $100,000 for 20% of the company. All the profits gained by the Sharks would go to charities helping 9/11 first responders. The siblings accepted the deal and the pitch ended on a light hopeful note.
Our Review of Cup Board Pro
Cup Board Pro is a great product that looks to resolve a common issue faced by people in the kitchen. The quality also makes it a great investment.
Pros of Cup Board Pro
- High-Quality wood used for the chopping board
- Receptacle runs the length of the board, so any liquid is automatically caught by it
- Cup extension can be detached easily
- Durable
- Can be cleaned easily without the food collecting into the wood
Cons of Cup Board Pro
- Price point is steep
- Some customers complain of the receptacle not working perfectly
Who Is It For?
The Cup Board Pro is for the cooking enthusiasts in your life. Meal prep involves a lot of chopping and cutting, and people who regularly cook their meals encounter the mess usually made after chopping. The product is, therefore, targeted at people who cook, whether as a hobby, a necessity, or a profession.
Are There Any Alternatives?
You can find plenty of cutting boards with grooves and channels. There are also boards with separate compartments to store the chopped food. However, there is no cutting board on the market with a cup extension that can be detached.
Final Thoughts
Cup Board Pro is a great product made even better by its origin story. The siblings’ strength and courage have made the business a success story, and it is an excellent example of how entrepreneurship is a source of hope that can originate from even the most tragic stories.
