Imagine a car air freshener that goes beyond the basic pine scent. FRSH is bringing a breath of fresh air to the car accessory market, and they took their vision to Shark Tank.
Donovan and Trey Brown hope to secure a deal for FRSH, their subscription-based car air freshener business, in Shark Tank episode 1407. The pair co-founded the company with three other childhood friends in April 2017 to update the car air freshener market.
The guys got the idea for the business while brainstorming in their LA apartment. One of them said, “Why don’t we do something random like car air fresheners?” So they did.
About FRSH
| Category | Details |
| Founder (Plural if multiple) | Donovan and Trey Brown |
| Product Type | Subscription-based car air fresheners |
| Funding (Pre-Shark Tank) | Self-Funded |
| Investment Asked | $200,000 |
| Equity Offered | 5% |
What Happened on the Shark Tank Episode?
Donovan and Trey walked into the Shark Tank looking for $200,000, offering 5% of their company in return. They painted a picture we all know: that perfect drive, windows down, music up, then… Bam! That not-so-fresh car smell hits you. They show the old-fashioned pine tree air fresheners and toss them away. Then, they introduce their air fresheners and tell the Sharks it’s an untapped market. They explain their product and list a few scents.
When they introduce their NBA-licensed air fresheners, they do so with a Golden State Warriors air freshener and say it “smells like winning” (the Warriors defeated Mark’s Dallas Mavericks in the 2022 NBA playoffs). They point out that air fresheners haven’t changed in years and that they “smell a deal.”
As the Sharks examine their samples, Mark says the guys made “the dumbest marketing move ever.” He immediately goes out, telling Donovan and Trey they “need to read the room.” He’s clearly upset and doesn’t say another word for the rest of the pitch. Lori likes the scents. The guys pride themselves on offering both traditional and non-traditional scents while adding a “cool factor” to their brand.
Initially, they were direct-to-consumer and proved the concept with $1.1 million in sales. In 2022, they expect to reach $750,000 in sales. They believe the biggest potential is in retail and wholesale. They are close to closing a deal with AutoZone, one of the largest automotive businesses in the USA, and will start in 2,000 of its 6,000 locations. The order will be for $2.1 million. Their 2021 sales were $540,000, all from subscriptions.
Two air fresheners per month cost $8.25, while a six-pack is $14.99. Each two-pack costs 38 cents landed. Subscribers stay subscribed for four months.
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What Makes FRSH Unique?
They sell their air fresheners in two ways. One is a subscription model. For $5 a month, they send two random scents. For $7.25 per month, customers can customize their scents. With options like Midnight, Peach, Vanilla, New Car Scent, Cool Mint, Lavender, Strawberry, Woodgrain, Cherry, Jasmine, Leather, Pina Colada, Eucalyptus, and Ocean Breeze, there’s plenty to choose from. Each air freshener comes with a snippet of a song lyric. Since FRSH air fresheners are thicker than traditional pine tree fresheners, they last twice as long.
Beyond subscriptions, FRSH offers bulk purchases, particularly for their popular licensed products. They’ve partnered with the NBA and SpongeBob SquarePants, offering NBA packs in various sizes, from five for $14.99 to ten for $24.99 and twenty for $42.99. SpongeBob fans can snag six packs for $14.99 or twelve packs for $24.99.
With 10,000 loyal subscribers bringing in $600,000 annually, FRSH has proven its direct-to-consumer model. Already in over 2,700 Target locations and aiming for 6,000 Dollar General stores, they’re poised for massive retail expansion. They entered the Shark Tank seeking a partner to help them capitalize on the billion-dollar car air freshener market.
Also, read Ride FRSH for more information about the business.
Did FRSH Get a Deal on Shark Tank?
Robert asks if they’re profitable. In 2021, they sold $540,000 worth of products and profited $40,000. The guys discuss their backgrounds in sales and advertising and reveal that they created an app for Black and Brown emojis back in 2014—before they became ubiquitous on smart devices. The Sharks are surprised when Trey reveals that the U.S. car air freshener market is worth $300 million.
Lori thinks the fresheners are very male-oriented and need more female-friendly options. Since she wouldn’t hang one in her car, she’s out. Robert calls them “the real deal” but struggles to see himself investing. He recalls a 24-hour road trip from Toronto to Florida as a kid, where he was crammed in the back seat with suitcases and only saw an air freshener the entire trip—apparently a traumatic experience. Robert is out.
Kevin questions the $4 million valuation for a company that isn’t profitable; he’s out. Barbara congratulates them on their $750,000 in sales but worries about their move into retail. Donovan explains that retail has always been the goal, as rising customer acquisition costs make direct-to-consumer less viable.
Barbara offers $200,000 for 25%, contingent on closing the AutoZone deal. Donovan counters with 15%, but Barbara declines. He then proposes 20%, and Barbara agrees. Before they leave, Trey and Donovan apologize to Mark, who responds, “It’s all good.”
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What Happened to FRSH After Shark Tank?
On the night of the episode, Barbara tweeted:
“Welcome to the family #RideFrsh! 2 fabulous entrepreneurs. #SharkTank
@ABCSharkTank”
Mark received backlash on social media for his reaction. One viewer called him “small and petty,” and fan reactions were nearly unanimous in criticizing his behavior. The Browns later admitted they planned to provoke Mark for a reaction and publicity—and it worked!
As of October 2023, there is no evidence that the deal with Barbara closed. They are still waiting on the AutoZone deal.
Where Can You Buy It?
Get these amazing-smelling products from FRSH’s official website and make your car smell great. Also, check out their social media for regular updates.
Quick Summary
- Co-founders Donovan and Trey aim to innovate the car air freshener market with their subscription service.
- They enter Shark Tank seeking $200,000 for 5% equity.
- They present a range of scents and licensed products while looking for a Shark to help them scale.
See what else is new! View other businesses featured in this episode.
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