Who is Chris Johnson?
Chris Johnson is a UC Davis graduate and Sacramento-area entrepreneur who invented the Rapid Ramen Cooker, a microwave bowl that cooks a block of instant ramen in about three minutes without a stove. Aimed at college students and anyone cooking on a budget, the product got its start when Johnson approached a local Walmart manager directly and sold out the store's stock, then took off online. He pitched on Shark Tank in Season 5, asking $300,000 for 10%. After a back-and-forth among several sharks, he agreed on air to $300,000 for 20% from Mark Cuban, with half structured as a loan, but the deal was never finalized.
Johnson rebranded the company as Rapid Brands and widened the line to microwave cookers for mac and cheese, eggs, rice, brownies and more. In 2016 he partnered with Nissin Foods on Top Ramen-branded cookers, and he later licensed Disney and Nickelodeon characters. The products are sold at retailers including CVS, Walgreens and H-E-B, and the company reported more than $55 million in lifetime sales as of 2023.
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