Today we’d like to introduce you to Max Rizzo.
Hi Max, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
The CoolCat is the world’s first battery-powered, fully insulated automated beverage dispenser. As a result of our integrated battery-powered pump system, with a simple press of a button, your beverage of choice starts flowing through its 39-inch “cat tail” hose and into your cup! No, getting up from your chair, no asking someone to hold your cup while you pour your drink… no having to balance your cooler on a table so the spigot’s not scraping the sand…no fumbling…no bumbling…and no spilling! Just chill, fill, press, and pour!
The product concept is the brainchild of my Dad, Ben Rizzo, and was an idea born out of necessity almost 35 years ago. In the mid-1980 on a lake in the Adirondack Mountains, he and some of his high-school friends and fraternity brothers were having a very difficult time pouring their drinks from a traditional “flip top” cooler amidst the rocky waters… spilling beverages all over the boat and their female guests in the process! So, the next day they went to a hardware store and devised the semi-brilliant idea of containing their beverages with a simple pesticide sprayer. They just pumped, pressed, and poured. No spilling, no tipping, and no dripping! But because the pesticide sprayer was not insulated, their drinks were less than ice cold.
So…from that day on, my dad repeatedly promised to one day turn the “bug sprayer” idea into an insulated beverage cooler. Shortly after college, he moved to Florida, and throughout my entire childhood, he brought the bug sprayer to every beach party, football tailgate, boat outing, and all my youth sporting events.
Fast forward to 2018 and now, I’m an Entrepreneurship Major at the University of Tampa. By that time, I’d finally heard enough about the “bug sprayer” idea, and inspired by so many other examples of Entrepreneurship at the school, I said to my dad… “how about you finally make that CoolCat idea come to life?”. I promised to work side-by-side with him and, slowly but surely, the concept became a reality!
Having since added my University of Tampa classmate Thomas Manno to the team, and with a US patent pending, we are now excited to introduce the CoolCat to the world!
Designed for parties, social gatherings, and group activities…once you add ICE…the CoolCat’s roto-molded double-walled engineering keeps up to 2 FULL GALLONS of your favorite mixed cocktails, sports drinks, wine, water, or whatever you drink…ICE cold for up to 24 hours…so there’s never a dry moment with the Cool Cat.
Unlike traditional coolers that require awkward tipping out of a dirty spout, the CoolCat’s automatic delivery system lets you simply chill, fill, press, and pour! No sand in your drink, no “2nd person” assist…and no shaking for the last drop!
Now after 4+ years of research and development, we have begun the manufacturing process, and expect to have the final product ready to deliver to our customers later this summer. As such, we are currently accepting pre-orders at a special “Founder’s Club” pricing of $299, a savings of $100 off of our everyday price of $399!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I’d like to say it’s been smooth, but I suppose I’d be lying. These past 4 years have been a rocky and winding road filled with many pitfalls along the way. But, as they say… if it was easy, everybody would do it.
As none of us had any significant experience in designing or developing a product such as this, our first several attempts at creating a prototype were huge failures and disappointments. Luckily, in 2019 we were able to source a tremendous Design Architect in Minnesota, Tim Bottger of GenesisTek, who was then able to help bring the idea to life.
All of us… me, my dad, and Thomas are all perfectionists… and we pledged to only bring the best possible product to market. At the heart of our dedication lies the pursuit of excellence, and over time we have meticulously refined several crucial aspects of the CoolCat to further ensure its overall structural integrity and to maximize the customer experience.
Even with Tim on board and actively involved in the design process, we’ve had to go back to the drawing board several times to perfect many components and elements to render a final product that we believe is truly next-level and groundbreaking.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about CoolCat Cooler?
As mentioned, the CoolCat is the world’s first battery-powered, fully insulated automated beverage dispenser. With a simple press of a button, your beverage of choice starts flowing through its 39-inch “cat tail” hose and into your cup! No, getting up from your chair, no asking someone to hold your cup while you pour your drink… no having to balance your cooler on a table so the spigot’s not scraping the sand…no fumbling…no bumbling…and no spilling! Just chill, fill, press, and pour!
While Yeti, Rtic, Orca, and others have dramatically improved the “ice chest” style coolers in recent years, the “beverage” coolers within their respective product offerings have experienced virtually no innovation whatsoever. All are simply updated versions of the old Coleman brand “tip & drip” canteen-style cooler, or a derivative of Igloo’s gravity-driven spigot cooler. No innovation whatsoever! This is where the CoolCat comes in!
Beyond our patented battery-powered and automated “press and pour” delivery system, we’ve designed the CoolCat in a way that, once ice has been added, it keeps beverages much colder, and for far longer, than traditional beverage coolers. The CoolCat holds its ice for more than 24 hours! Lastly, we also added both USB 3.0 and USB-C ports to keep your phones, speakers, and other devices charged up and ready to party!
How do you define success?
Well, I was always raised to not just focus on the destination but to appreciate the journey along the way. So, being able to go through this process with my dad and my good friend Thomas… and bringing the CoolCat from “product concept” to “consumer ready”… has been a dream come true that we consider to be a huge success. Having said that, we fully expect to continue this journey and grow the CoolCat brand and product as far and wide as possible to achieve a next-level degree of achievement and accomplishment.
Beyond our obvious desire to grow our business… we as a family and the CoolCat as a concept… have always brought people together. It’s just who we are are…and what we stand for. So, while this might sound corny, an additional barometer of success will be knowing that the CoolCat is serving as the central component in bringing friends and family together to have a good time, make memories and enjoy a few cool drinks along the way.
Pricing:
- $299 – Founder’s Club Pre-Order
- $399 – Everyday Price
Contact Info:
- Website:www.thecoolcatcooler.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecoolcatcooler/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecoolcatcooler
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@coolcat2726
