Shraman Mitra
Sean Riley, Ryan Meegan, and Jeff Klimkowski collectively presented their product, Dude Wipes, on season 7 episode 4 of ‘Shark Tank.’ A better alternative to wet wipes, marketed especially for adult males, thrilled the Sharks and helped the company land a massive life-changing investment. However, fans have been curious about the company’s growth since then and want to know where they are at present. Let’s jump in and find out, shall we?
Dude Wipes: Who Are They and What Do They Do?
Sean, Ryan, Jeff, and a fourth partner, Brian Wilkin, hit upon the idea behind dude wipes while in college. Instead of using the regular toilet paper, the friends combined it with baby wipes, allowing more comfort. They then realized that the market was ripe for such a product as there were no wet wipes targeted towards adult men. While brainstorming for a solution, they decided that they should provide better comfort as well as better accessibility for the adult men.
Thus, in 2012, they made their first batch of products that got completely sold out. Dude Wipes are, in reality, a tad bigger than ordinary wet wipes and pride themselves on being unscented, flushable, and biodegradable. The wipes are also made from plant-sourced materials and contain Vitamin E & aloe vera. The success of their first batch quickly pushed the company to innovate further, and in the following year, they featured on MTV as well as several prestigious publications. In just a couple of years after their inception, the company even looked to increase the size of their wipes and was able to sponsor UFC fighter Tyron Woodley.
Once on ‘Shark Tank,’ they demanded $300,000 for 10% of their company. After some back and forth with the Sharks, Dude Wipes finally cracked a deal and brought Mark Cuban on board, who offered them $300,000 for 25% of the company. The deal with Mark Cuban immediately put them into the spotlight, and they were featured on multiple popular shows and media outlets, including ‘Good Morning America,’ Chicago Tribune, and Forbes. From there on out, it seemed like the sky was the limit for Dude Wipes as their business kept increasing through leaps and bounds.
Dude Wipes: Where Are They Now?
The company’s association with different athletes and sports teams gave them a massive platform to expand their already growing customer base. Desiring to get into brick-and-mortar stores, Dude Wipes cracked a deal with Target in 2016 and got the product into 500 Target stores across the United States. They even got into an agreement with Walgreens, which put them in 4,300 stores all over America.
In 2017, they announced that within less than two years of signing a deal with Mark Cuban, their sales had gone up from $250,000 to $3.2 million. In the meantime, the company also expanded its product catalog, which now includes toilet scent bombs, body/face wipes, scented powders, and even “Dude” branded apparel. In 2018, Walmart began stocking their product on a gradual basis, and at present, Dude Wipes can be found in more than 12,000 stores, including Walgreens, Walmart, Target, Meijer, Kroger, Safeway, and many more.
A toilet paper starter kit will set you back by $15.99, while the face and body wipe range from $6.99 to $17.99. Additionally, their Dude Powder is priced at a reasonable $10.99. People interested in trying out and buying Dude Wipes can do so at the numerous physical stores mentioned above. However, if online shopping is more your thing, the complete range of products are available on their own website as well as Amazon.
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