The Truth About What Happened To Zipz Wine After Appearing On Shark Tank

Everybody has an idea for at least one potential multi-million dollar invention, or so they believe. Still, it's down to the "Shark Tank" judges to decide on their merit. The esteemed panel of millionaires and wheeler dealers can make or break prospective entrepreneurs as easily as snapping a pencil, which the creator of Zipz Wine discovered when he appeared on "Shark Tank."

Per Shark Tank Shopper, Andrew McMurray strolled into the arena during Season 6, episode 11 of the hit show, hawking the best invention of all, well, in some people's opinion anyway — a glass of wine. But what made McMurray's product different from the zillions of other wines already saturating the market? Especially the two-time "Shark Tank" nemesis, Copa Di Vinco?

Well, don't worry, tankers; McMurray had an answer for that. "I'm here to tell you that our single serve is like no other in the wine industry," he boldly claimed. "It's all about packaging, packaging, packaging! And licensing, licensing, licensing!" Zipz wine comes prepackaged in a plastic goblet glass. It has a lid that can be screwed on top if you don't finish the glass in one sitting — ha, as if. Perhaps more importantly, the lid also acts as a table coaster. There have been several "Shark Tank" contestants who went on to great success and established flourishing multi-million dollar companies. But what about McMurray and his glasses of fermented grapes? Here's what happened to Zipz Wine after appearing on Shark Tank.

So, what happened when Zipz Wine entered the "Shark Tank"? Did the product go on to great success? Or did it die a death like Biem, the butter-spraying utensil that failed to spatter spread? Well, Andrew McMurray had a slick, infallible, and well-designed product. Equally importantly, McMurray knew his grapes, how to pitch them, and who to — Kevin O'Leary.

McMurray came out punching. "I'm here today seeking a $2.5 million investment for 10% equity in our company," he said, raising eyebrows and gasps. "Kevin, I think that's music to your ears," he stated. "You are wise, Grasshopper," Mr.Wonderful quipped. McMurray was bang on the money. He elicited "Wows!" when he showed off the product's strength by standing on the plastic glass.

"In our opinion, our plastic glass is going to become to the wine industry what the aluminum can became to the soda industry," McMurray announced. O'Leary jumped on the comparison to Copa de Vinco, which had appeared on the show and refused investment offers twice. But McMurray had them at "shelf life" and proprietary patent. The product started 16 months ago and already had an $8.5 million investment. Mark Cuban, Daymond John, Lori Greiner, and Robert Herjavec were out. Mr. Wonderful played hardball over the price point but was all in at a $1.49 retail price. Offering $2.5 million for 10% of the company and $2.5 million when exiting if the company reached a $25 million valuation. Cheers! Deal done.

Andrew McMurray and Kevin O'Leary toasted their partnership with a glass of wine, Zipz, natch. "I invested in Zipz because I'm the only shark who understands wine. The rest are ignoramuses," Mr. Wonderful boasted. "And what's terrific about this is with Zipz' technology I can put the world's best wine in single serves. And that's mine. O'Leary's fine wines."

Mr. Wonderful had jumped on the business opportunity because he'd spent two years attempting to negotiate to get his wine into Costco. He spotted a chance to seal the deal with Zipz. It resulted in the biggest offer ever in "Shark Tank" history at that time. "I've never been so excited for a Shark Tank deal!" O'Leary tweeted (via SnS Design). 

However, things moved too slowly for his liking. "Since appearing on the show, we've seen a significant spike in sales," McMurray said, explaining they'd gone from selling from 30,000 to 100,000 cases and bringing in $1.8 million in revenue. "Where are we on the profit line?" O'Leary asked, jumping straight to the chase. McMurray explained that was the issue. They were selling the volume but not making profit. "I have an old saying. If you don't make money after three years of operations, you're a hobby, not a business," Mr. Wonderful shared. "I used to have hair when I started this investment." O'Leary must have become even balder after Zipz exited the wine industry in 2016, per the Shark Tank blog.

After failing to profit from selling their individual glasses, Zipz dropped out of the wine business in 2016. Kevin O'Leary never managed to secure his dream Costco deal. He told Wine Spectator that the record-breaking "Shark Tank" offer helped secure him a meeting with the retail giant, but it all went downhill. "We met with [the buyer]. She took the sample of the single-serve wine, and she was holding it over her purse, and she tipped it ... and it leaked right into her purse," O'Leary said. "That was the end of single-serve wine in Costco."

The company was doomed to fail due to the lack of potential volume sales. "The wine industry moves so slow," Andrew McMurray told Westchester magazine. "It's definitely not a progressive industry; it's hundreds, thousands of years old. It doesn't change quickly." Instead, they shifted to the business-to-business packaging market. Zipz sold its containers to other alcohol providers. "It turned our competitors into endorsers of our product [the packaging]," McMurray explained. "Instead of competing with the best brands in the industry, they were now advertising our product when they put their wine in our bottles."

"Single-serve, portable packaging solutions for wine, beer & spirits," the company's Twitter bio reads. "Expand your line with our virtually unbreakable, customizable & recyclable solutions." They struck up some impressive deals, including one with Beringer. According to SEO Aves, Zipz is still operating, however, the company website is now defunct.

In reality, $2.5 million is a drop in the vineyard for Kevin O'Leary. So, the failure of Zipz just dented his ego. He told Wine Spectator that his unsuccessful meeting with Costco resulted in a highly lucrative deal. The buyer introduced him to Vintage Wine Estates, whom O'Leary partnered with to sell his own label. "And we never looked back," he said.

However, Andrew McMurray poured his heart, soul, and life savings into Zipz Wine, so it hit him much harder. "After reviewing what we had done, we realized that we were too focused on making ourselves wine sellers competing with the biggest names in the industry, and that was simply not going to work," he admitted to the SB Journal. The wine aficionado licked his wounds with his wife and two kids in his hometown of Westchester County while he regrouped.

McMurray never gave up on his love of wine — and of Zipz, though. According to his Instagram, he continues to import fine wines worldwide. He sells them directly at his store, online, and at auction. His company, Zachys, boasts an impressive array of wines and spirits at all price points — all in bottles; no single serves, though. Meanwhile, according to Shark Tank Recap, Zipz has rebranded yet again, and this time it's focused on licensing. SEO Zaves reports that the company's net worth is above $50 million as of 2023.