Here's What Happened To Cougar Energy Drink After Shark Tank

With a name like Cougar Energy Drink, a couple of ideas instantly come to mind. While there is a connotation about a powerful, magnetic animal on the prowl, it doesn't necessarily have to be the four-legged mammal. When Ryan Custer stepped into the Shark Tank on Season 3, he was on the prowl for a two-legged cougar with his beverage pitch. This energy drink was targeted toward mature women who seemed to be under-represented in the beverage space. 

Shark Tank has been leveraged to untapped market segments. Who hasn't used a Scrub Daddy to clean the kitchen or enjoyed a Bantam Bagels bite-sized filled bagel? Although there have been many success stories, many products sink rather than swim. From not quite being ready to take a product to market or an idea that doesn't resonate within the business space, the sharks circle yet do not always bite. 

Still, entrepreneurs are thirsty for the next great idea and the Sharks are ready to fund that opportunity. During the Shark Tank Season 3 finale, Cougar Energy Drink did not make them thirsty. As Gazette Review shared, Kevin O'Leary felt the targeted market left too many consumers off the table and Robert Herjavec felt that a single word does not create a buzz around a niche energy drink market. In the end, this cougar might have swum with the sharks but it was not a successful plunge. 

If you cannot find Cougar Energy Drink on store shelves, there is a good reason. While the idea was presented on episode 312, the sharks did not find this enhanced beverage refreshing. The limited market share due to the particular woman's age demographic was a major flaw. Although all the sharks passed on the beverage, the inventor, Ryan Custer, kept the idea alive. Based on a YouTube video, it once appeared at the 2010 MTV Awards. But, that paid buzz was not enough to entice more women to take a sip. 

Currently, the Cougar Energy Drink website redirects to Ryan Custer's personal website for Custer Creations. Per his resume, Custer works in the real estate field, but still has an interest in his entrepreneurial company. It seems that you might be able to lead a cougar to the beverage business, but you can't make everyone drink. 

Looking at the energy drink market, the reality is that the shelf is quite crowded. While 5-Hour Energy or Red Bull might have been the only options when Cougar Energy Drink tried to find its audience, there are a wide array of options now. Whether consumers pick based on flavor, amount of caffeine, or something else, there are plenty of ways to avoid that slump. Maybe for the next great beverage idea, an entrepreneur might want to create a beverage that includes more potential drinkers than just one species of cat.