AKRON, Ohio — A first-world problem that usually ends in a sticky situation was solved by University of Akron alums. And now, their condiment-saving idea has landed them a spot on ABC’s “Shark Tank,” a show where budding entrepreneurs ask investors to invest in their business.
The "Saucemoto," a small condiment holder that connects to almost any size air vent, was created by UA alumni William Moujaes ’12 and Michael Koury ’09, who will appear on the show with their business partner Tony Lahood.
The two came up with the idea nearly 11 years ago when on a road trip with their friends who wanted the classics: chicken nuggets and French fries. Everything was going well until the inevitable happened— a precious package of barbeque sauce fell to its death onto the seat. Road trip ruined, but the legacy of the underestimated barbecue lived on.
Now with the help of "Saucemoto," the clip makes dipping food into your favorite condiment easier when traveling in the car.
See the video below of how the dip clip works while driving.
Moujaes and Koury were in college when “Shark Tank” first premiered 10 years ago. Their dream came true last June when their episode was taped at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, California.
“For generations, humans had to choose between making a mess in their vehicle or consuming bland, sauce-free food,” said Moujaes, an alumnus of UA’s College of Business Administration, in a news release. “We were tired of standing by idly as the perfect union of fries and nuggets, and the precious sauces that complement them, grew strained. So, we created the Saucemoto dip clip to repair this relationship, reuniting ketchup with french fry, nugget with barbecue sauce, and so on.”
You can watch the group’s business pitch to the show’s five sharks on Sunday, May 5 at 10 p.m. EST on News 5.
