Spill-proof straws seek juice boxes

A Georgia man who spent several million dollars developing a spill-proof juice box straw said he is now trying to convince companies to use his invention.

Robert Stribling, 45, of Between, Ga., said the idea for the straw, which contains a valve in the top that prevents liquid from spraying out when the juice box or pouch is stabbed too quickly or squeezed too hard, came to him in 2004 when his then-2-year-old daughter made a sticky mess after a bath, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Monday.

Stribling said the company he founded, The Last Straw LLC, has a network of engineers and manufacturers willing to make the straws, but he has yet to convince any companies to package the straws with their products.

We’re looking for brands, said Stribling, who also owns waste-management company Stribling Systems. We’re kind of in a chicken-and-egg situation now.

Stribling said he is hoping to attract interest in the straw via his Web site and appearances on national and local media outlets.