Many irrigation systems around have been developed to help farmers grow crops more efficiently. Johnny Georges’ Tree T-PEE is one of them. The cone-shaped device directs water straight to the roots of young trees, saving massive amounts of water in the process. George pitched his company Shark Tank and closed a deal with guest Shark John Paul DeJoria. Recently, Tree T-PEE was valued at an estimated $50 million.
Johnny Georges
Farmer Johnny Georges was brought up in Winter Haven, Florida. Though he is the current head of the company, Johnny is not the original founder. That would be his father, Rick Georges.
As the creator of the micro-sprinkler in 1970, Rick is considered a pioneer in the crop watering industry. He focused primarily on citrus farming and irrigation, constantly looking for ways to water citrus trees more efficiently.
When Johnny was old enough, Rick taught his son everything he knew. Johnny spent more than 20 years working for his father, where he gained first-hand knowledge of irrigation engineering, well drilling, and pump installation.
How Tree T-PEE Was Born
Rick originally made the first Tree T-PEE to protect young trees from frost. He launched the cone-shaped product under his company, Georges Enterprises Inc, in 1984. While observing the invention, Johnny realised it had significant water-conservation potential.
He believed that with a specialised irrigation system spraying water inside the cone, the device could save far more resources. Water was cheap at the time, so Rick didn’t find it worth adjusting.
When times changed, Johnny upgraded his father’s creation and relaunched the official product in 2005 under a new company, GSI Supply, Inc. By the time of the Shark Tank pitch, they had sold around 127,000 units.
Pitching to the Sharks
Despite its deep roots, the business was still relatively small in 2013. He wanted to expand operations beyond Florida, so he signed up for season five of Shark Tank and was seeking $150,000 for 20% equity.
A humble farmer by nature, Johnny was visibly nervous entering the stage and stumbled over his words early on. It didn’t help when Kevin O’Leary started asking questions about the slim profit margins.
Johnny stood his ground and gave honest answers. Guest Shark John Paul DeJoria showed compassion towards Johnny and offered to give him exactly what he was looking for.
Tree T-PEE After Shark Tank
The pitch became one of the most emotional in Shark Tank history. The episode has since been viewed by millions through reruns and distribution, and the company has never looked back. They sold thousands of units on the night the episode aired alone.
With John Paul DeJoria’s backing, With John Paul DeJoria’s backing. The Tree T-PEE is most commonly available at Home Depot, but you can also purchase it through TreeTPee.com. On their website, the tree irrigation device has an average rating of 4.7 from 15 reviews.
The company is hugely successful and is valued at $50 million. Notably, the retail price was raised to $9.95 in August 2022 (more than double the original pitch price) reflecting both increased demand and rising production costs.
In 2024, the company also partnered with the Tropica Mango Rare and Exotic Tropical Fruit Tree Nursery, signalling ongoing product and market expansion.
Despite this, Johnny Georges hasn’t shared any recent sales figures but according to zoominfo.com, the business makes an estimated $5 million in annual revenue. Some websites such as marketrealist.com believe the company is worth $100 million but that valuation is unrealistic.
