Whatever Happened To Tailgate N Go After Shark Tank?

Whether enjoying a tailgate get-together, going camping, or barbecuing in the backyard, few things can bring a family together like an outdoor cooking excursion. And few things can rip them apart like arguing over who forgot to bring ingredients, utensils, and supplies, either resulting in the event not having everything it needs or someone having to go back and return with the missing items. 

This was a dilemma facing the Johnson family. While on a camping trip, Ron, Taylor, and Kobe Johnson had a difficult time finding many of their items as their picnic table was especially messy, which was a similar situation shared by their neighboring campers. Upon returning home, Ron, who also owned a machine shop, began experimenting with prototype devices that could alleviate these issues. From there, Tailgate N Go was born. The Tailgate N Go is a functioning portable kitchen in a box that has everything you need from burners to cutting boards to sinks and more. Users can bring their Tailgate N Go to any event with ease, making it a perfect product for the outdoorsy family who have trouble keeping things organized. 

Tailgate N Go founders Taylor, Kobe, and Ron Johnson hope to get $250,000 for a 10% equity stake during their Season 11 appearance on "Shark Tank." The sharks are impressed by the product's versatility and functionality, especially considering that it's only been on the market for about a year.

The company has three models that are priced between $1,000 and $1,500 and similarly range in production costs from $500 to $748. They've sold 100 units thus far, with their sales coming from trade show events. The family hasn't taken any outside investment yet, with Ron having only put $250,000 of his own savings into the venture. With a shark's investment, they aim to get production moving along to help with inventory issues. They hope that scaling will also aid in bringing down costs to between $200 and $300.

Mark Cuban, Lori Greiner, and Daymond John go out. Kevin O'Leary doesn't think the company is worth its $2 million valuation but proceeds to make a tough offer, believing the product would work well under his Chef Wonderful brand. He'll give the $250,000 as a line of credit with 10% interest and a $100 per unit royalty with no fixed end date, along with the 10% equity stake.

At first, the family politely turns down O'Leary's offer and prepares to exit until Daymond John suggests they make a counteroffer. After some deliberating, they ask guest shark Matt Higgins, who initially went out believing it would be too difficult to convince fans to alter their tailgate setups, if he'd be willing to go in for $250,000 at 20%. Higgins adds on a $50 royalty until he makes back his $250,000 and the family takes the deal.

It didn't take long for the Johnsons' partnership with "Shark Tank" investor Matt Higgins to pay off. In a Season 11 update segment centered on Tailgate N Go, the team reported that within three months of appearing on "Shark Tank," the company made $400,000 in sales. This far outweighed the $137,000 made within the entirety of Tailgate N Go's then-two years of business. 

The segment also sees them strike a licensing deal with the Miami Dolphins, which Higgins was vice chairman of, and launch an NFL site shop. Dolphins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick was part of the meeting and an admitted fan of Tailgate N Go. "Everybody loves the game, but it's the party before the game that is the big deal for a lot of these fans and I think NFL fans are going to love it," he said in the segment. 

Tailgate N Go also had a massive launch at the NFL Experience event, where they showcased the versatile invention to the public. Higgins was especially proud to see how far the company had come, saying in the segment, "They were just given the shot of a lifetime and I believe that they're gonna make everything out of it because that's what they did on 'Shark Tank' when they convinced me to come back in and that's what they're going to do with the NFL. What this family shows is that if you work hard and you never take 'no' for an answer, you could literally do anything."

Tailgate N Go continues to offer a wide array of supplies for those who want to take their kitchen on the road. There are a variety of boxes with designs based on both NFL and NCAA teams, as well as more plain options. However, since their "Shark Tank" debut, prices have skyrocketed on what was already an expensive product. Currently, Tailgate N Go boxes go for between $1,795 and $1,995. The company also sells numerous accessories to go with their boxes such as collapsible sinks, grease guards, burners, grills, and more. 

According to some customers, however, the Tailgate N Go may not be worth the price. The product sports mixed reviews on Amazon with a three out of five-star rating average based on six reviewers, with a slight majority being one-star reviews. Many have complained that the Tailgate N Go is not as functional as it is advertised, particularly in remaining weatherproof and easy to maneuver. One passionate comment reads, "The general concept is good but the engineering misses the important aspects of what it's trying to accomplish. It's literally ten times the price it should be for what you get. It's too heavy, cannot move it on your own, it's not functional and overall, it does not do what it should do."

Nevertheless, the team behind the product remains passionate, in large part thanks to the aid of "Shark Tank" investor Matt Higgins. In an interview shared on the company's blog, co-founder Taylor Johnson commented, "With an NFL background and respected successful entrepreneur himself, it was hard to not want to work with him. The thrill will never end working with Matt because he is so bold and strategic."

The team at Tailgate N Go still has some hurdles to overcome before they can become a booming business. Unless the company's prices fall more in line with the quality of its products, it's unlikely that its reputation will improve among buyers. Nevertheless, it's clear that its creators have passion. The business harbors good intentions of wanting people to enjoy themselves at outdoor events without the hassle of keeping track of unorganized food and kitchen items. And that heart is what will continue guiding them in their next endeavors. 

Tailgate N Go's "Shark Tank" segment marked a first for the long-running ABC reality series as co-founder Kobe Johnson made history as the first deaf entrepreneur to appear on the show and make a deal. It made for a validating achievement for both audiences and Johnson himself, who aims to continue championing the rights of the deaf community. When asked about his future plans in an interview posted on Tailgate N Go's blog, Johnson shared, "When we're done changing the outdoors world with Tailgate N Go in the future, I also want to change the Deaf world, starting with the old technology for the Deaf. I want to start a new business that will modernize the Deaf world! 'Shark Tank' is just the beginning!" 

Tailgate N Go still has some ways to go before changing the outdoor world, but it's clear that the company's heart is in the right place, which will surely lead to more innovations down the line.