Over the years, "Shark Tank" has brought many entrepreneurs' dreams to life, particularly those involving cool kitchen gadgets. Some of the best kitchen tools we've seen on "Shark Tank" include Scrub Daddy sponges, eco-friendly Grease Bags, and the itty bitty Spatty spatula. However, there are so many other products that have "Shark Tank" to thank for their popularity.
Take for example Banana Loca, the banana-filling machine that had TikTok divided. This tool cores bananas and injects them with your favorite fillings –- be it Nutella, marshmallow fluff, almond butter, etc. "Shark Tank" also introduced us to the Baker's Edge baking pan, which is billed as the perfect solution for fans of edge-piece brownies, and the Frywall, a silicone barrier that attaches to pans and keeps hot grease from splattering everywhere.
Yet another invention "Shark Tank" brought into view was the Bottle Breacher. These bottle openers made from dummy .50 caliber bullets first appeared in Season 6, and were pitched by a former Navy Seal (via Shark Tank Products). Like many other products on the show, Bottle Breacher has a humble origin story.
After his brother gifted him a bottle opener made from a bullet, former Navy Seal Elijah Crane was inspired to start his own business. According to Shark Tank Blog, Crane started Bottle Breacher in 2012 and sold his handmade bottle openers on Etsy. Per his Etsy shop description, the Bottle Breacher is "made from decommissioned once-fired ammunition rounds, making them completely safe." The bottle openers are hand-polished and powder-coated, and can be personally engraved to order.
When Crane appeared on "Shark Tank" with his wife Jen in 2014, he asked investors for $150k for a 10% stake in the company. The "Shark Tank" investors did not take his offer, but Mark Cuban and Kevin O'Leary did agree to $150k for a 20% stake, per Shark Tank Blog. It seems like this deal proved fruitful for the Cranes — if you're looking to kick back with a bottle of your favorite cheap beer and want an ammunition-themed way of opening said bottle, Bottle Breacher is still around today.
Without a doubt, Bottle Breacher is one of many "Shark Tank" success stories, having come a very long way since its appearance on the show in 2014. Before "Shark Tank," the Dallas Business Journal reports that Elijah Crane and his wife Jen were making only about $500 a month in sales. As of 2018, however, Bottle Breacher was not only able to expedite its process and expand its product line, but also reach $17 million in total sales.
Bottle Breacher's founder is a veteran and the company has a 25% veteran hire rate, per Judge PR. It also frequently works with local charities to support past and present servicemen and women and their families.
Today, Bottle Breacher offers dozens of different styles of bottle openers, starting at approximately $15 apiece. The company also sells other merchandise, including apparel, coasters, and keychains, all of which can be customized. It no longer has the same owners — Mike and Amber Wall bought the company in early 2022, and Crane is now a Republican candidate for Congress in Arizona — it appears that the company's values remain the same, and its products stay true to the very first Bottle Breacher Crane received more than a decade ago.