Rumpl Announces New Product Launch Ahead Of ‘Shark Tank’ Appearance

Even before appearing on Shark Tank, blanket-making company Rumpl had some big news to share.

Just ahead of the company’s appearance on the ABC reality television show on Friday, it announced the launch of a new product meant to make camping a safer and more comfortable experience.

As Magnetic Magazine noted, Rumpl announced a collaboration with Snow Peak on a fire-resistant blanket made for camping. The $300 product is set to debut on the Rumpl website on October 19 and will be sold in its stores near Portland, Oregon, as well.

“The NanoLoft Takibi Blanket combines [Rumpl’s] sustainable proprietary 100% post-consumer recycled NanoLoft insulation with Snow Peak’s own recycled ripstop with fire-resistant aramid material,” the report noted.

The announcement comes at a busy time for Rumpl. As the Portland Business Journal reported, the company that moved to Oregon’s largest city in 2017 is one of the four featured on the Season 12 debut of Shark Tank.

Wylie Robinson, Rumpl’s CEO and founder, told the newspaper that appearing before the sharks was “by far the most unique experience” he has ever had as an entrepreneur. While he could not reveal whether Rumpl left with any new investments, he did tell the Portland Business Journal that trying to pitch his products before some notoriously sharp and picky investors was “just as intense as it looks on TV.”

Robinson said the company has already impressed other investors, raising $3.8 million in a 2018 investment round. That sets Rumpl apart with some of the newer outfits that have been featured in Shark Tank in the past, he said.

“Shark Tank is looking to get some more established companies to pair with some pre-revenue companies,” he said.

The approach could lead to more investments, as it is normally the smaller or newer companies that get passed over.

Viewers will also get a chance to see how the small Oregon business has been navigating the coronavirus pandemic. As The Inquisitr reported, a producer said this season will lean more heavily into personal stories about how entrepreneurs are responding to the unprecedented crisis.

For Rumpl, the effect has actually been positive, Robinson said that sales in home goods like blankets have increased as people are spending more time at home. While he wasn’t happy with the circumstances surrounding the growth, the company’s founder noted that they have been on the rise.

“I hate saying that because a lot of people are struggling right now,” he said of the recent growth.