Calling all wine connoisseurs. You can now travel and bring home a bottle without worrying about breaking it mid-flight. FlyWithWine created VinGardeValise, the first and only suitcase specifically designed to protect wine bottles. Founders Ronald Scharman and Ryan Neergaard recently appeared on Shark Tank. Despite not getting a deal, FlyWithWine is worth an estimated $3 million.
Meet the Founders
Ryan Neergaard, FlyWithWine’s director of business development, is a long-time Shark Tank fan. He is also a certified sommelier and spent his early career working in restaurants in Napa, California. Over 13 years, he’s mastered the art of fusing wine sciences and business strategies.
CEO, Ron Scharman, has a similar background, but has a longer track record. Scharman has been a wine mogul for over 20 years. Eight of those years were spent at Sonoma State University, teaching wine business and developing relations with industry leaders.
The Birth of FlyWithWine
The idea for the company started with a problem that many wine collectors are familiar with. Ron was in Burgundy and discovered a fine winery. He wanted to take home a bottle, but his options were to either ship it or pack it himself in a cheap container.
When he got back home, he thought of a better solution. That’s when he linked up with Ryan and a couple of product designers to create a suitcase with a specialized compartment for wine bottles and other beverages.
FlyWithWine launched in 2016 and since then, they have sold over 50,000 units in 500 locations. In 2022, they released VinXplorer, the backpack version of their flagship product. A year later, they showcased their product on season 15 of Shark Tank.
After Shark Tank
Getting on the show was a ‘lifetime achievement award,’ for Ron and Ryan but entering with a $6.25 million valuation made things challenging. With their appearance on Shark Tank, FlyWithWine is bracing for a significant boost in sales in the runup to Christmas. The crucial thing Sharks highlighted was the primary investors parental control, hopefully at some point they can buy him out. Also, despite lifetime sales of $19 million, profits are disappointing.
You can find their products in over 500 wine-tasting rooms, specialty shops, breweries, airport stores, and distilleries across US, Europe, Canada, Australia, China, and Brazil. They are now in major retail brands including Macy’s, Neiman Marcus and Williams Sonoma.
Customers can order online through their official Amazon store and website, FlyWithWine.com. The VinGardeValise suitcases range anywhere from $289.95 to $379.95, while VinXplorer backpacks can go from $159.95 to $199.95.
The $379.95 suitcase is their best-selling item on Amazon, and it has an average star rating of 4.7 from 123 reviews. Although this is what FlyWithWine is known for, they also sell other products, like glassware, wine storage, personal carriers, and accessories.
After Shark Tank, the founders opened up about their plans to expand their product line. In the next six months, they want to introduce more wine-related innovations for air and land travel.
