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Shark Tank season 10 premiered on October 7, 2018, featuring entrepreneurs pitching innovative ideas. Among them was Miles Pepper, co-founder of FinalStraw, a reusable, collapsible straw designed to replace single-use plastic straws. During his pitch, Pepper stated,
"Plastic straws are going out of style. They're getting banned in cities and countries around the world."
FinalStraw aimed to provide an eco-friendly alternative to single-use plastic straws, which contribute to ocean pollution. Co-founder Emma Cohen partnered with Pepper to present their product to the Sharks, seeking $625,000 for 5% equity in the company.
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The Shark Tank investors had concerns about pricing, competition, and consumer behavior, and the entrepreneurs ultimately left without a deal. After Shark Tank, FinalStraw expanded but faced significant fulfillment issues with new products, leading to customer complaints and unfulfilled orders.
According to Shark Tank Blog, the company’s LLC was forfeited by 2022, and its website stopped accepting orders. Despite this, Cohen rebranded it as Final Co., which was still operating as of July 2025.
Everything that happened in the Shark Tank pitch
Miles Pepper and Emma Cohen entered the Shark Tank seeking $625,000 for 5% of their company, FinalStraw. To illustrate the issue of single-use plastics, thousands of plastic straws fell from above as they began their pitch. Cohen explained the environmental problem, stating,
“Sharks, maybe you’ve noticed that our oceans are filling up with plastic trash. Much of that trash is made of a seemingly harmless item, the plastic straw.”
To further emphasize their point, they introduced a mermaid character who told the Sharks,
“You think sharks are scary? I’m more freaked out by the 500 million straws we use every day in the U.S.”
The Shark Tank entrepreneurs revealed that approximately 5,700 plastic straws are used every second in the country. Pepper reiterated the increasing trend of banning plastic straws, stating,
“Plastic straws are going out of style. They’re getting banned in cities and countries around the world.”
Cohen introduced their product by explaining that they aimed to redesign the drinking straw in a better way. She presented FinalStraw as the first reusable, collapsible straw, designed to fold into a compact case that can be attached to a keychain or fit in a pocket.
Product details and sales figures
Lori Greiner asked for samples, and Cohen provided different color options, including Arctic Melt Blue, Shark Butt Gray, and Succulent Green. Guest Shark Jamie Siminoff asked about their backgrounds. Cohen shared that she had completed a master’s degree in environmental management and sustainability at Harvard and had previously worked in waste minimization at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Pepper explained that he had been working on the straw and was introduced to Cohen through a mutual friend who referred to her as “the straw girl” because of her TEDx talk on plastic straws. When Kevin O’Leary asked about the cost, Pepper mentioned that it costs $5 to produce each straw, which they sold for $20.
Mark Cuban remarked, “It’s expensive.” Greiner questioned their sales figures, to which Cohen replied,
“We launched this company two months ago on Kickstarter. We ran our Kickstarter for 30 days and raised $1.89 million.”
She further revealed that since the Kickstarter campaign, they have generated $15,000 in pre-sales daily. O’Leary noted that major coffee chains use billions of straws each year and had begun exploring paper alternatives. However, these options significantly increased costs and became soggy in hot liquids.
Cohen countered that paper straws were still single-use and required substantial energy and water for production. Greiner agreed, stating,
“You know what? No, you’re spot on about that.”
The Sharks’ concerns and offers
Despite the strong sales numbers, the Sharks had reservations. Greiner pointed out that many similar straws already existed, questioning what made FinalStraw different. Worried about its availability, she ultimately decided to opt out.
“I like a product to be in hand and know that it’s really working. I’m sorry. I’m out.”
O’Leary proposed an offer of $625,000 for 10% equity and a $2 royalty per straw until he recouped $1.8 million. Cohen was hesitant about the royalty structure and asked if he would consider a higher equity percentage. O’Leary declined, withdrawing his offer. Guest Shark Siminoff worried about consumer habits, stating,
“What worries me, though, is changing consumer behavior. It’s just, am I going to carry another box in my pocket?”
Cuban agreed, saying,
“It’s not just carrying it. Before that, you’ve got to educate them and then get them to buy it.”
Siminoff ultimately chose not to invest, saying, “But for that, I’m out.” Cuban then offered $625,000 for 25% equity. Cohen and Pepper declined, unwilling to give up that much ownership in their company. With no acceptable offers on the table, they left the Shark Tank without a deal.
Shark Tank airs every Friday at 8 pm EST on ABC.
