Today we’d like to introduce you to Trevor Chargois.
Hi Trevor, 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.
Thank you Voyage Houston for this interview. I’m a native Houstonian, husband, father of four, and grandfather of three (…with another on the way). The art of creating and creative thinking has been a lifelong passion of mine. My wife Paulette and I are two of the most dedicated and hardest of workers. I provided 25 years of service to a company and Paulette 15 years. We’ve often reflected over the years that we should focus that attention and dedication on a business of our own. The Banana Bungee wasn’t my first creative moment, but it did occur at a time-and-place when we had enough time and resources to advance the idea.
In 2014 Paulette allowed me to walk away from a lucrative corporate structure. With savings secured it was an understanding that this would be an opportunity to seek out business ventures that we could lead. A few of them didn’t pan out but we were not deterred. In late 2015 we were focused on acquiring two fast casual sandwich shops in the local Katy market. Around that same time the Banana Bungee concept was given birth.
The Banana Bungee LLC was founded in 2016 shortly after I conceived the initial design. The inspiration for the design came following a request from Paulette. We were both avid road cyclist at the time and bananas were a staple on the road and in the house. Paulette was also heavily focused on decluttering the kitchen counters. One faithful day she requested something to get the bananas off the kitchen counter. While grocery shopping, which included replenishing the bananas, I started to purchase a classic wire fruit basket with a hook. These particular baskets were on a shelf right behind the bananas at our local H.E.B. After initially placing the fruit basket in grocery cart, I reflected on its size and the objective. I quickly realized that with this purchase I would be adding to the kitchen counter clutter.
I placed the wire basket back on the shelf and decided instead on stopping at our local ACE Hardware for a short piece of decorative chain. The thought was to use a spare S hook on our existing kitchen pot-rack. The chain coupled with the S hook made for a perfect solution. This would lift the bananas up and off the kitchen counter. Bingo, right? However, par for me (Mr. Forgetful), I forgot to stop at ACE and continued home and placed the bananas on the counter. This forced me to come up with another solution before Paulette came home. The first prototype was a plastic grocery bag with a knot on one end (to hold bananas) and the other end used to secure it to the pot rack. There would be at least 5 more prototypes before the commercial product sold on all major e-commerce sites today.
Our guiding principle from the Banana Bungee’s inception was to provide a quality well-made design and to keep prices reasonable (not make a quick buck). Before the Banana Bungee the prominent commercial design was a single-rigid hook. With design and utility patents secured, Banana Bungee is successfully redefining the market space. We are effectively decluttering kitchen counters, reduced bruising and extending the ripening process down to the last banana!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
The journey has been very fulfilling for sure. We were then and are still to this day very encouraged about our products potential. One challenge is and has always been knowing when to step-out of the way. In other words, using capital to seek outside professional services earlier rather than later. I was being cautious but at the same time very hopeful and optimistic. All of the physical actions needed to launch a product were handled internally minus a few select resources. Most of these resources were needed for up front development and injection molding preparation. We internally-sourced the capital we needed for launch. Additionally we handled all raw material selection, testing, and development. Within our family we perfected assembly processes and business processes. These were all internal efforts (initially). We did have some solid outside gig-economy resources that assisted with branding and packaging design.
We had just enough success in marketing and market adoption across the USA that kept me churning and burning internally. Thinking we were giving the product enough to keep accelerating growth. Our first year, we were seeing product sales across the USA in every state and major populous centers within the states. This pattern continues to this day. The Amazon system is a beast and quickly gave us access to Canada and the United Kingdom. The first four and a half years we experienced 100%+ sales growth year-over-year.
In 2022, out of an application list of 4,500 businesses across the United States, the Banana Bungee was 1 of 1,500 businesses selected to pitch Walmart. This was at Walmart’s Open Call 2022. It was their largest ever and ninth consecutive event held at their corporate offices in Bentonville, Arkansas. It was also a huge accomplishment for Banana Bungee to catch the eye of the world’s largest revenue earning company. Paulette and I did a great job preparing for and pitching the product. However, we did not leave Arkansas with a “golden ticket” but remain hopeful for a future engagement. For now we focus on continued growth domestically and internationally. Via Amazon, our web store, and other e-commerce sites, we routinely service clients in other countries.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
The Banana Bungee story begins with the formation of Twenty Fifteen Restaurant Group Inc. This was the Texas Corporation formed in 2015 specifically to purchase two fast casual sandwich shops in Katy (as mentioned earlier). We reached a mutual agreement not to consummate the agreement after an unsuccessful due-diligence period. However, just prior to this event, on the eve of my 55th birthday, September 29, 2015, I had that “ah-ha moment” which led to the Banana Bungee. The Banana Bungee LLC was filed in the state of Texas in early 2016 as a subsidiary LLC to Twenty Fifteen Restaurant Group Inc. Within both business entities there are just my wife and me.
Following the unsuccessful franchise purchase, we mutually agreed to pivot. This pivot turned my focus and resources on developing our banana holder. There would be approximately five to six more prototypes as we neared the end of 2016. We then formally launched the product and initiated all patent activities. By 2021 the Banana Bungee had received both USPTO design and utility patents.
The first goal for creating the Banana Bungee was rooted in a desire to satisfy my wife’s immediate goal (i.e. get the bananas off the counter). As banana lovers we know that bananas are a fast-ripening fruit. Right? As the product developed, we started consuming information, learning more about consumer needs and the ripening process of bananas. We learned about common banana storage methods and bad handling techniques. There are plenty of practices that negatively impact or speed up the ripening process of bananas. We identified a design gap in the market and the need to increase awareness. The education became a natural progression as we designed our unique yet very functional banana holder. Here are just a few tidbits we learned early on: Ethylene gas is expressed during the ripening process of fruits which in turn expedites ripening. Bananas are very susceptible to ethylene gas and should therefore be separated from other fruit. Bananas should not be sitting on or hanging over other fruit. Bananas ripen best suspended (period). Suspension eliminates surface contact and provides the best airflow. Lastly—over handling your bananas and surface contact increases early browning and bruising.
The Banana Bungee’s integrated bungee-cord design creates a flexible alternative to rigid hook designs. Rigid designs in addition to banana fruit laying bare on counter tops or within a fruit bowls actually promotes over handling. After 3,500 ‘actual customer’ reviews we are confident our banana holder reduces handling and extends the ripening process. And … our sturdy well-crafted design can suspend multiple bunches of bananas, easily. We got the last banana covered too!
I am very proud of being in a creative space and one that I oftentimes dreamed of very early on in life. Never lose sight of your dreams; as I never lost the desire to problem-solve or create. This character trait remained into my college years (which was very protracted…I say, with a wink) and into family life. My wife was always by my side encouraging me one “ah ha” moment after another. She would be there supporting me all the way through. The Banana Bungee came at that time and space where we could self-fund the venture and enable it to grow.
It was mentioned previously that we’ve secured well over 3,500 reviews across various e-commerce platforms. Within the first year of launch we could see that our product was being well received across the United States. This was more than our local fans and families encouraging us forward. Total strangers were noticing the value of our banana hook-alternative and telling their friends and family. We have yet to launch any major advertising campaign for the Banana Bungee. I’m not saying this with a badge of honor. We probably should have already done more nationally. However we have gained traction by word of mouth and of course the exposure only the Amazon machine provides. Sharing a bit of regret there but everything in its time. Right? Like this interview with Voyage Houston.
My wife, along with support from our four adult children (and three grandchildren) have advanced a product from our garage in Katy, Texas to an assembly process now majorly carried out by support businesses in Katy and Houston. This would be the perfect time to emphasis that we have focused hard on keeping the product completely made in the United States. We buy all components within the United States boarders. Our high tensile bungee is made-in and purchased out of Rhode Island. Our distinctive yellow web pull tabs from Alabama. The various hardware components from Illinois. We had the mold developed right here in nearby Pearland, Texas. Still to this day all our injection molded components are manufactured in North Houston. Keeping it local comes at a price to us, really. I routinely resisted raising prices because we are in market penetration. As of late this is getting harder with inflation. Raw material and postal pricing are all increasing. We know the value is there and can support a price increase! We resist price increases solely to help gain and maintain market penetration for our niche brand of banana holder. If we can get the public to see the value, experience the good quality– everything will fall in place. With enough volume it can and will be a win-win for our company, family and everyone who gets to purchase our banana holder! We see the Banana Bungee being world class.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Good question. I should start my answer with the following admission. I need and should find more time toward seeking, growing and securing both business-networking and mentors! Having shared that point, we were very fortunate to have acquired and teamed up with some very key resources at the onset. Our initial quality-resources were catalyst to finding additional resources. This was and still is a key point. Whomever you bring into your circle, ensure quality and integrity is there from the start. Your circle of influence will then grow and be a reflection of the first. Quality circles grow and expand exponentially. This was important as each of those initial resources tend to direct you to other resources in their network. Be guarded but don’t be afraid to casts new nets, join civic organizations and industry meetings.
Pricing:
- 12.00 single unit
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bananabungee.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebananabungee
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bananabungee
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-a-chargois
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/BananaBungee
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@bananabungee5520
