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HotShot is a beverage company that offers a unique approach to consuming hot coffee in a ready-to-drink format. The concept was developed by entrepreneur Danny Grossfeld, inspired by the popularity of canned hot coffee in Japan.
HotShot aims to provide consumers with the convenience of enjoying hot coffee on the go without brewing or visiting a coffee shop. HotShot’s packaging consists of a specially designed aluminum can that keeps the coffee hot for an extended period.
The cans are placed in a custom-designed HotBox, an innovative heating device that maintains the temperature of the cans at 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius).
The HotBox is designed for retail and home use, ensuring the coffee stays hot and ready to drink whenever a consumer desires. HotShot appeared on the American television show “Shark Tank” in 2016, where Grossfeld pitched his business idea to a panel of investors.
He sought a $300,000 investment for a 10% equity stake in the company. Although the Sharks found the idea interesting and acknowledged the potential market for such a product, they had concerns about the manufacturing costs, price point, and competition with established coffee brands. Ultimately, Grossfeld did not secure a deal with any of the Sharks during his appearance.
Despite not receiving an investment from the Sharks, HotShot continued to pursue its vision of bringing hot, ready-to-drink coffee to the market.
The company has focused on marketing its products to convenience stores, offices, and other locations where consumers may seek a quick, easy hot beverage option.
The brand has expanded its product line to include a variety of coffee flavors, appealing to a wider range of consumer preferences.
What is HotShot?
HotShot is a new, super convenient way to get your coffee – from a can. Forget waiting in line at the coffee shop; this coffee-in-a-can is always ready to go with no brewing required.
The canned coffee trend started in Japan and has quickly grown into a $14 billion-a-year business there.
HotShot took that inspiration and added unique gourmet flavors in a larger and hotter can with a unique insulating label, so your coffee stays hot, but your hands keep cool.
You can pick up a hot can of coffee at your local store, which is kept hot in a special HotBox, or you can get your stylish mini HotBox and enjoy Hotshot coffee at home or work.
The HotBox keeps the coffee at a perfect 140-degree temperature and is highly energy efficient.
HotShot canned coffee can be stored at room temperature for up to a year before placing in the HotBox. The coffee can also be enjoyed coldly like other packaged iced coffees.
Hotshot comes in flavors like French Vanilla, Caramel, Espresso, and Hot Chocolate. It’s made with the finest 100% Arabica beans, roasted to perfection in the USA. HotShot is a canned hot coffee beverage. Caramel, Chocolate, Black, Espresso, and French Vanilla are the five flavors available.
The coffee is brewed to a temperature of 140 degrees, and because of the innovative technology used, the coffee remains hot. Additionally, the user can hold the coffee without it becoming scorched.
| Company Name | HotShot |
| Founder | Danny Grossfeld |
| Product | Hot coffee ready to drink |
| Investment Seeking | $300,000 for 10% equity in HotShot |
| Final Deal | No Deal |
| Shark | No Shark |
| Business Status | In Business |
| Website | Visit Website |
Who is the Founder of HotShot?
Danny Grossfeld is the founder of HotShot. He was already a successful entrepreneur before founding HotShot USA. Danny now serves as the President of HotShot USA.
HotShot originated from an inspiration that struck any time, and this statement is apt for how we formed our company. Danny went out for coffee early in Japan before a business meeting. He was ‘unable to locate a cup of hot coffee.
After giving up, he went to what appeared to be a ‘cold coffee refrigerator.’ However.’ it was not a refrigerator; instead, it was a can of hot coffee. The success of Japanese canned coffee was the impetus for the establishment of HotShot USA when he returned to the US.
Danny worked for six years to perfect his invention. He had spent nearly two million dollars over the previous six years. However, after spending that sum, HotShot had not generated any revenue. All he received were inquiries, but none of them resulted in purchases.
Danny was determined to continue developing despite the obstacles. The inventor of HotShot beverages also created the HotBox, an insulated container that keeps nine cans of coffee warm for up to three months.
The Shark Tank judges praised him for his tenacity and ingenuity.
HotShot Before Shark Tank
Danny Grossfeld needed hot coffee at 5 AM during a business trip to Tokyo, Japan, in 2008. The native of New York visited several stores searching for his caffeine fix but was surprised to discover that none of them appeared to have any hot coffee available.
He eventually abandoned the notion and walked to a cooler in the back of a store to get a soda but was pleasantly delighted to discover that what he had assumed was a cooler was a heated unit for ready-to-drink coffee cans.
Danny had discovered the Japanese market for hot beverages in cans and was so taken with the concept that he began researching the industry’s size upon his return to the United States.
He quickly realized that the canned coffee business was a multibillion-dollar industry in Japan, ranking third in the world in average coffee consumption, behind only the United States and Germany.
The entrepreneur began experimenting with his beverage version and devised a practical heating method.
After thousands of modifications to his formula, he mastered it. Also, he invented the Hotbox, a heating machine capable of maintaining liquids at a constant 140 degrees for up to three months.
Danny funded the production process and costly molds with money and additional assistance from family and friends. He finally invested more than two million dollars in his goal.
By early 2015, everything appeared to be swimmingly, as a test run of 1,000 cans received an overwhelmingly good response from testers. Danny pursued a production run of 4,000 hotbox units and raised funds using the crowd-funding website Kickstarter.
Danny was able to advertise his Kickstarter campaign when the Los Angeles Times covered the Hotshot firm, but sadly, not many others shared his vision, and the campaign, which had a goal of $80,000, raised less than $10,000. However, the LA Times piece had another, more beneficial effect.
Shark Tank producers called Danny because they admired his passion and ambition and the persistence he demonstrated during years of product development. They urged him to compete in the show, and he eventually entered the tank in October 2015.
How Was The Shark Tank Pitch Of HotShot?
Danny Grossfeld appeared on Shark Tank requesting an investment of $300,000 in exchange for a 10% stake in HotShot. He began his presentation by informing the sharks that he had invented the greatest convenience in hot coffee, ideal for busy coffee lovers constantly on the go in the mornings.
They may get a hot beverage from a hotbox and never have to brew a cup or wait in line again. Hotshot was America’s first ‘grab-and-go, ready-to-drink in a can provide a coffee product,’ He asked which of them was willing to join the coffee revolution and become a Hotshot.
‘You’ve got to try it,’ Robert Herjavec stated, and Danny was prepared with some samples. He distributed drinks to the sharks, and Lori Greiner commented on the can’s warmth.
The American investor Mark Cuban pointed out that 140 degrees are typically hot. Danny used the opportunity to highlight the insulating label, which absorbed 50% of the heat and kept the cup warm rather than too hot to grasp.
The Sharks enjoyed the coffee; several commented on its nice taste, and Danny disclosed that he tweaked the recipe over 1,500 times over six years of development to achieve a wonderful product that could be heated continuously for up to three months.
Robert Herjavec inquired as to where Danny got the idea. Danny discussed his journey to Japan and the canned coffee he discovered there.
Robert inquired how many sales he had made thus far, and Danny stated that the product had taken six years and $2 million to develop. Chris Sacca was perplexed; he inquired whether Danny had sold $2 million worth of merchandise, but this was not the case.
Danny revealed that he had spent $2 million developing the product over six years but had not yet sold anything. Kevin O’Leary smiled as he tapped his fingers. However, he did not attack immediately.
Danny was still in the tank, so Chris Sacca asked, “I’m not sure if you’re pitching or asking for therapy. However, his look indicated therapy was more likely.
Kevin expressed his conviction that all business techniques stem from Greek philosophy. ‘Oh No,’ Lori observed, knowing it is never a good sign for a shark tank applicant when Kevin begins discussing philosophy. Mark Cuban burst out laughing.
As Kevin related, Sisyphus was a mythological monarch compelled to roll a massive rock up a mountain for eternity, only to discover that it rolled back down when he reached the summit!
Kevin explained to Danny that he was the cursed man, tasked with the impossible task of pushing the Hotshot business up a mountain, but he had never made any sales. He was compelled to repeat his pointless efforts when they ultimately failed.
After spending years developing his product, Danny defended himself by stating that he was launching the firm today. Robert enquired about the purpose of the $2 million previously invested in the business.
Danny said that he had finally invented a product that tasted fantastic even after months of continual heating, a process that had cost him a million dollars.
He informed the sharks that the market in Japan was worth $15 billion and was the third-largest beverage industry globally, although no such items were available in America.
Robert inquired whether Danny had gotten any convenience stores to stock his items.
Danny stated that while he had had a lot of interest in the Hotshot business from several retailers, he had yet to clinch any agreements. Still, he argued that his product would almost sell with a shark’s assistance meeting merchants.
Kevin O’Leary was not going to be Danny’s sidekick. He advised the entrepreneur that he might consider changing careers after six years of no sales.
Kevin believed that if a business failed to generate profit after 36 months, it was a hobby, not a business, and it was time to ‘take it into the barn and shoot it.’ Kevin was now gone.
Robert Herjavec was likewise unimpressed with the Hotshot concept, although he pointed out the contrast between the American and Asian markets.
He argued that American consumers had a lot bigger variety of coffee shops to pick from and that transitioning to hot coffee in cans would be much more difficult in an already highly competitive market. Robert wished Danny the best of luck in the future, but he, too, was out.
Chris Sacca disclosed that he previously invested in the high-end coffee shop Blue Bottle Coffee, which garnered $70 million in 2014 from several prominent technology investors.
He withdrew because he believed the Hotshot firm would directly compete with Blue Bottle. Danny received both good and terrible news from Mark Cuban. The Texan shark declared that he despised the business but admired the concept and Danny.
The Landmark CEO told Danny he would try hotshot coffee once the company started shipping orders, although he would not invest in the company.
‘How about the stadium as well?’ suggested Danny, but Mark was less enthusiastic. ‘That boulder is going to fall and squash you,’ he warned, smiling at Danny’s boundless enthusiasm.
‘Well, you’ve got a customer,’ Robert replied, and Danny seemed happy, but he quickly shifted his focus to Lori Greiner, the tank’s final shark and his last shot at a transaction. Unfortunately, Lori was unwilling to extend a last-minute lifeline to the entrepreneur.
She explained to Danny that after investing so much money in the product and seeing no comparable return on investment, she had a gut sense the firm would never succeed.
She believed that a sixth person should reject the business in this scenario, and that person should be Danny himself. She informed him that the Hotshot firm was, in her judgment, going to collapse, and she advised Danny to abandon it as well to ‘Stop the bleeding.’
Danny Grossfeld left the Shark Tank stage without securing any deal from the Sharks.
Final Deal: No deal between HotShot and Sharks.
What Happened To HotShot After Shark Tank?
Danny expressed disappointment following the show that the sharks had not seen the potential of the Hotshot business and expressed amazement that they had shown little interest in such a profitable billion-dollar sector.
He said people had told him for a long time that the idea would never work, and their objections only strengthened his will to succeed.
In the months following the show, Danny remained optimistic about the future, saying in December 2015 that three movie theater chains had agreed to test Hotshot coffee during the first three months of 2016. However, I could find no indication that the tests had occurred.
Since the Hotshot segment first aired, the company’s website has promised that Hotshot products will be available for pre-order soon.
However, in March 2016, the company announced that pre-orders would no longer be accepted and that all pre-order payments would be refunded due to ‘Production Issues.’
Whatever those production challenges are, it appears the Hotshot business has slowed, as has Danny’s once unbridled excitement for it. Since the exhibition, the Hotshot social media accounts have been entirely silent.
The company’s Facebook page has received only a few inquiries from potential buyers inquiring when to purchase Hotshot products for themselves. None of the questions have received a response.
Lori Greiner offered Danny advice, and he chose to cut his losses and pursue a new endeavor, or maybe he’s still out there, resting before pushing the Hotshot rock up a mountain, unable to let go now that he’s so close to the top.
HotShot Shark Tank Update
HotShot, a company that sells heated, ready-to-drink canned coffee, was featured on Shark Tank in 2016. The founder, Danny Grossfeld, pitched the idea of providing hot canned coffee that stays warm for hours, targeting on-the-go consumers.
After Shark Tank, HotShot experienced both successes and challenges. Although Grossfeld did not secure a deal from the sharks during the show, he used the exposure to his advantage.
The company gained attention from potential investors and customers alike. Following the show, HotShot partnered with 7-Eleven for a pilot program in select locations.
The company also expanded its product line, adding various flavors and formats of canned coffee, including cold brew and specialty blends. They focused on improving the heating technology to maintain the ideal drinking temperature for longer.
However, the company faced some obstacles along the way. The initial rollout of the product was delayed due to issues with production and packaging.
Furthermore, the high price point of the coffee and the necessity of a proprietary heating device made it difficult for HotShot to gain widespread adoption.
Is HotShot Still In Business?
HotShot has teamed with Amazon less than three years after the episode aired. Amazon will begin fulfilling HotShot hot coffee and hot chocolate subscriptions beginning July 1, 2018.
HotShot has also worked with supermarkets, resorts, movie theaters, sports stadiums, and Madison Square Garden.
HotShot is available in five flavors in the United States: French Vanilla, Caramel, Espresso, Hot Chocolate, and Black. A six-pack of 8 fl. oz. HotShot Cans are available for $26.99 on the HotShot website. A 12-pack with a HotBox is available for $69.99.
What Is the Net Worth of HotShot?
The valuation of HotShot was $3 million when it appeared on Shark Tank. The net worth of HotShot is $2 million as of 2023.
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