In his “Shark Tank” pitch, Tog Samphel outlines one notable difficulty he faced while attempting to get his Anytongs business off the ground. After the product secured significant funding on Kickstarter in 2020, complications resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 held up the manufacturing of subsequent units. Between then and filming his episode, which aired in January 2023, his profits totaled just $7,000.
Furthermore, at the time of his “Shark Tank” appearance, Samphel offered a single Anytongs for $19.99 and a more popular two-pack for $24.99. Shark Kevin O’Leary expresses concern about this price point, given that he estimates the cost of a standard pair of tongs to be approximately $10. That said, Samphel explains that during his manufacturing holdup, he revised the Anytongs and cut what was initially a $2 production cost in half upon the completion of an updated design — though its reduced cost is contingent upon a larger manufacturing order.
O’Leary, Robert Herjavec, and Mark Cuban all pass on Anytongs. After outlining some reasons he’s hesitant to invest, Daymond John ultimately decides to offer Samphel the $150,000 he desires, albeit for a 49% stake. Samphel attempts to counter but John won’t budge, and in the end, Samphel accepts John’s proposition.
