What Happened To Coldest Water Bottles After Shark Tank?

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During their pitch, Joe and David Ahmad asked for $600,000 in exchange for a 2% stake in Coldest, which translated into a $30 million valuation. Almost immediately the Sharks protested at the low equity offer. The brothers then explained that the first 1,000 bottles on Amazon sold out within five months in 2015, and after two years, they reached $900,000 in sales. By 2020 they hit $9.3 million in sales, and in 2022 that spiked to $15.1 million.

These are impressive numbers, but what made the Sharks pause was that Coldest had lost $400,000 the year before the twins appeared on the show. All of the money they had raked it in was put back into the company, particularly for buying more inventory and investing in new products.

The Sharks were concerned about Coldest holding too much old inventory, and that they spent possibly too much on marketing ($3.3 million annually). So they started dropping out. The founders offered to go up to 10% equity to draw them back. Kevin O'Leary made a counter offer that included a limited-time royalty on the bottles, but the founders didn't accept and walked away without a deal.

Simply getting spotlighted by such a popular show can boost a company's visibility, driving traffic and brand awareness. For instance, after BottleKeeper appeared on "Shark Tank," it saw an enormous surge in sales. Of course, that company also landed a $1 million investment. However, even without a deal, this exposure often can lead to an increase in sales. Coldest co-founder Joe Ahmad told Naples Daily News that during the airing of the episode, he checked the company's Shopify numbers. Over 8,000 people were shopping on the website, but that level of activity quickly dropped afterward.

The Coldest co-founders also faced financial straits. In a TikTok video from January 2026, one of the Ahmad twins said he learned that the company was $4 million in debt right after recording the "Shark Tank" episode. He did not offer details on if and how they got out of that. However, the brand implemented some notable changes. A company update posted on Instagram shared that Coldest eliminated products like pillows and bed sheets to focus on water bottles. Perhaps taking on less inventory was also a way to reduce growing debt. The company also designed an eighth version of its flagship containers.

Despite encountering obstacles, a co-founder declared on Instagram that he was happy not to have made a deal with Kevin O'Leary because it allowed the brothers to retain full control of the business. According to Prospeo, Coldest has an estimated valuation of $32.7 million and annual revenue of $10.2 million.

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Coldest continues to operate despite not receiving a deal. Their Amazon storefront and website display water bottles in seemingly every color and pattern imaginable. (Ater all, your water bottle can say a lot about your personality.) The array of products includes sport-style containers, tumblers, coffee mugs, and large 46-ounce cups with handles.

Its website only sells the water bottles, but the Amazon storefront still includes pet accessories, ice packs for the body, and bedding. The reviews are impressive: One of the brand's bestsellers, a tumbler with handle and straw, has a 4.5-star rating out of nearly 5,000 reviews. As one Amazon customer wrote, "It could keep ice cold for days." Another declared, "Better than the Stanley IMO."

While the majority of posts are 5-star reviews, folks who gave lower ratings sometimes pointed out inconsistencies with the bottles. For example, one customer had an issue with a handle breaking. Another found the white color to be slightly yellow, and someone else thought that the lids broke too easily. Some reviewers also complained about leaks.

Coldest continues to focus on building its fan base online. The company is very active on social media and as of this writing boasts 57,000 followers on Facebook, 118,000 on Instagram, and 432,200 on TikTok. It has also leaned into UGC (user generated content) in the form of product reviews by social media influencers to help expand brand awareness.

Coldest frequently reveals new accessories for the bottles, like a mini-backpack that attaches to the water bottle for keys and small items. The company's website states that every Thursday, it does a new product drop. Shoppers can expect to find various seasonal and limited items, like a World Cup bottle or sunflower bouquet design. However, in a TikTok video from April 2026, one of the owners said that Coldest had fallen behind with respect to summer product launches: "We're in a little trouble going into summer because we way under-planned."

Setbacks aside, it seems that the brand may have made strides on the engineering front after "Shark Tank." Its website currently states that bottles can keep water cold for up to 100 hours or more. So, maybe the Ahmad twins will continue pushing the limits of their designs.