Gentle Brush Cleans Eggs Better

Gentle Brush Cleans Eggs Better Get an egg brush from GoodEgg to clean eggs faster. Add their wash, and your eggs will be even cleaner. The products were created out of Amy and Bryce Van Leuven’s frustration with cleaning their backyard duck and chicken eggs. Along with partner Tim Rowberry, they found a solution. “We figured there had to be a dedicated tool that would solve the problem, but we couldn’t find anything,” recalls Amy. “We wondered why no one had done it; it seemed simple enough.” They quickly realized it wasn’t as simple as they thought. They tested sponges and scrubbing pads, but while they conform to the egg shape, they get clogged and trap bacteria.  They soon settled on 100% food-grade silicone and designed a bird-nest shape with holes to allow water to wash away waste. For the surface, they selected 650 nubs to aid in scrubbing. They also found a 99% organic enzyme wash that breaks down bacteria without penetrating the shell. “The silicone is naturally antibacterial, antimicrobial and hydrophobic,” says Bryce. “The GoodEgg brush can be flipped inside out and rinsed in the sink or run through the dishwasher.” Getting a patent wasn’t a problem. A Kickstarter campaign for brushes and bottles of wash raised $150,000 in preorders within just 30 days, showing that the idea connected with small egg producers. Unfortunately, it didn’t gain traction with manufacturers. “We called every U.S. manufacturer, and the few who took us seriously said molds would cost a million dollars,” recalls Bryce. “We had some local connections that had quality work done by reputable people in China. We went with them.” Even then, there were hiccups in production. The delays caused setbacks in deliveries throughout 2023. While they finally arrived, the bottles of wash didn’t. “We had to find bottles and fill them, get labels made and stick them on,” says Amy. “We shipped out thousands of them.” Even before they shipped their first product, another problem emerged. “By the time the brushes were delivered to us, we had hundreds of companies selling knockoffs on Amazon,” says Bryce. “In the past two years, we’ve had 9,000 knockoffs removed from Amazon, but more show up every day.” Even amid competition from inferior knockoffs, the company is thriving. A larger brush for duck eggs and big chicken eggs was added, along with branded merchandise. The partners plan to introduce new products. A recent presentation on ABC’s Shark Tank earned them an angel investment from Chip and Joanna Gaines. In their pitch, they shared their success with over $2.5 million in sales, including $1.1 million in their first year alone. They’re on track to reach $3 million in revenue this year. They’re also on schedule to have all manufacturing in the U.S. by the end of November. “We’ve partnered with another Shark Tank alumni who’s trying to solve small-scale manufacturing in the U.S.,” says Bryce. “We’ll be price competitive with China.” A GoodEgg brush is priced at $20, and a bottle of wash costs $15. A kit that includes both brushes, 12 oz. of wash, and a concentrated refill is available for $55. In addition to online sales, these products are available through retailers nationwide. GoodEgg donates 10% of all profits to GoodEgg Gives, a fund that supports people battling cancer and their families. This initiative comes directly from Amy’s own fight with the disease. In May 2022, while in her second trimester of pregnancy, she was diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer. The product launch was delayed. She was able to deliver a healthy baby girl and fight cancer. She was found to have no evidence of disease (NED). However, she has since experienced a recurrence and is once again battling the disease. GoodEgg Gives is part of that fight. “My cancer journey really opened my eyes to how little is available to help with the everyday financial struggles those with cancer experience while in the fight of their lives,” related Amy on her blog. “It became my dream to be able to give back to these amazing warriors, so that we can help lift that burden for them, even if it’s just a little bit.” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, GoodEgg (ph 801-341-9821; howdy@goodeggstuff.co; www.goodeggstuff.co).

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