One Cooler for Every Drink, Born Out of a Simple Annoyance
Most great products start with a small, everyday frustration. For us, it was a drawer full of useless can coolers.
It was 2020, and we were hanging out, sipping from a slim can cooler. When that drink ran out, we grabbed a standard-sized can. But the slim cooler didn't fit anymore. We had to dig around for another koozie. That was the "light bulb" moment: why should anyone need three or four different coolers just to drink the beverages sitting in their fridge?
We are two brothers from a tiny farm town called Newton, Illinois—Brock and Mitch. We grew up pole vaulting, playing sports, and learning that if something doesn't exist, you can work with your hands to build it. So, we started prototyping. We wanted to create a single, heavy-duty insulator that could hold a 12oz slim can, a standard can, a 12oz glass bottle, and a 16oz can or bottle all in one.
That prototype became the Universal Buddy. When we launched it, the response was wild—becoming a top seller almost immediately because it solved a problem everyone had just accepted as normal.
We do not have a giant corporate boardroom. We just have a relentless drive to engineer products that actually work. Our drinkware is built around double-wall vacuum insulation that keeps drinks cold for 12+ hours, with premium stainless steel and a leak-proof lid design that actually survives being tossed in a boat, a truck bed, or a beach bag. The line has grown since then—into To-Go Buddies for hot and iced coffee, Bottle Buddies for school and sports, and a massive range of limited-edition styles that are designed to be seen.
We make things for people who love the outdoors, who tailgate, who sit by the pool, and who refuse to let a good beverage get warm. If you are wondering if a specific Buddy will fit your favorite cup, or whether a glitter finish is safe in the dishwasher, reach out to us through the contact page. We give straight answers, no pressure.