Here's What Happened To Zipz Wine From Shark Tank

For those who have wanted to carry wine without having to worry about breaking a bottle or simply wanted to prevent themselves from drinking more than a single glass, Zipz Wine offered convenient solutions. In Season 6 of Shark Tank, Andrew McMurray presented the idea of single serve wine packaged in a plastic glass that could not break. Not only was McMurray's creation shaped like a wine glass, the lid of the packaging also functioned as a coaster so you could feel elevated boozing in the great outdoors or sip wine during a wine tasting party conducted in a football stadium parking lot. 

McMurray made his boozy idea a reality in just 10 months and got his product in stores in nearly two dozen states before he appeared on Shark Tank. The plastic used to make the packaging was both recyclable and BPA-free. Customers got their choice of cabernet sauvignon, pinot grigio, chardonnay, and merlot when browsing the individually-portioned beverages. If you want to know what happened to his idea and whether the pre-poured drinks are still available in markets, read on.

McMurray sought $2.5 million investment in exchange for 10% equity. Instead of touting the benefits of single serve wine, McMurray used the packaging aspect of Zipz Wine and centered his pitch on the licensing opportunities associated with his enterprise. McMurray's proposition attracted Shark Kevin O'Leary, who ended up negotiating a nuanced deal. 

Since a similar wine idea was already presented to the Sharks, O'Leary caught onto McMurray's pitching strategy, calling him a "smart grasshopper." To emphasize the durability of the invention, McMurray showed he could stand on the glasses and insisted that the packaged wine would kept for a year. McMurray revealed he had already earned over $100,000 in licensing fees and bagged an investment of $8.5 million. Four Sharks bailed, but O'Leary was intrigued and brought up a possible arrangement with Costco. O'Leary expressed pricing concerns, reasoning that if consumers buy bottles of wine for $10 — with one bottle containing several glasses — the idea of shelling out $4 for a single glass is a hard sell. Regardless, O'Leary negotiated $2.5 million for 10% equity with a major caveat: He could buy an additional 10% if the business got into Costco. After consulting with investors, McMurray agreed, ultimately acknowledging that if he were to sell the company for $50 million, O'Leary could buy another 10% at the same $25 million valuation. At the time, this deal was the biggest recorded in Shark Tank history.

After the lively appearance on the show, O'Leary and Zipz Wine did, in fact, sign the deal, and McMurray got to work on licensing opportunities for the brand. Sales initially skyrocketed, but an additional appearance on episode 208 of Beyond the Tank revealed some cracks in Zipz Wine's ambitious plans. These hurdles ultimately foreshadowed the demise of the business. In 2016, Zipz Wine stopped selling wine and instead pivoted to licensing the packaging to other wine labels. 

During an interview with Wine Spectator, McMurray recalled his opportunity to partner with Costco but a leaky wine glass put an end to the possible arrangement. Instead, McMurray centered his energy on finding other wine brands who might benefit from the durable packaging design, and Zipz Wine was rebranded to Zipz Packaging. Since 2021, however, Zipz Wine's company website hasn't been updated and Crunchbase reported that the business closed. A business called Plastic Technologies still features the plastic single-glass Zipz Wine packaging on its site.

Zipz Wine is out of business, even after trying to shift sales efforts to B2B strategy and adjusting initial business models. The demise of the single-serve wine idea shows that even a successful Shark Tank deal doesn't guarantee success in the market. Even though McMurray was pushing significant product volume, Zipz Wine's individual wine glasses weren't collectively turning a profit. "If you can't make money after 36 months, and there's no path to making money, it was a hobby, not a business," O'Leary harshly admitted on Facebook. "You just have to take it behind the barn and shoot it."

O'Leary's bad bet might've caused an ego bruise or two, but the serial entrepreneur turned to established partnerships and began selling his own wine label. A regrouped McMurray focused on importing classic fine wines for Zachys, a business based out of Port Chester, New York. The store hosts in-house events and ships wine nationally for those residing out of state.

McMurray's thirst and enthusiasm for wine and the wine industry doesn't appear to have waned following the cessation of Zipz Wine's once promising run. McMurray continues to spearhead business at Zachys and serves as the president of the fine wine and liquor retailer. His energetic social media presence helps bottles move out of Zachys' warehouse to the store and finally into the homes of wine lovers. In addition to procuring wine, he educates consumers on wine labels and blends as well as helps buyers find that perfect bottle to pair with meals or pop open for a meaningful celebration.

Though Zipz Wine didn't take off, it is clear that McMurray's passion and love for all things wine has endured — much to the benefit of customers who visit Zachys in person, industry partners who work with McMurray, and for the many social media followers who have access to McMurray's informed wine recommendations and extensive knowledge of international vineyards.