A former University of Louisville and Buffalo Bills center has joined a fast-growing Louisville company as an investor and strategic partner.
Eric Wood, a four-year starter at UofL between 2005 and 2008, is teaming up with Dan-O's Seasoning, an all-natural, low-sodium brand founded by Dan Oliver. Wood will help Dan-O’s continue its expansion across the U.S. and internationally by increasing brand awareness and growing strategic partnerships, according to a news release.
“This is a killer company with a killer product,” Wood said, in the release. “What Dan-O’s has built is truly outstanding and after moving on from the NFL, I’m really excited to be a part of this.”
Founded in 2015, Dan-O’s is currently available online and in 839 retail stores around the country, including Kroger, Liquor Barn, and Food City, with many more retailers to be announced in the coming months.
As I previously reported, Dan-O's sales exploded during the pandemic after Oliver turned to TikTok to market the line of seasonings via his own recipes. The company has since amassed two million followers on the platform, and nearly 33 million likes on its videos.
In the release, Oliver said Dan-O's is excited to have Wood as a partner.
“We can’t wait to put our foot on the gas with Eric and see how far we can go,” Oliver said. “He shares a lot of Dan-O’s core values and we think he’s the perfect person to help us with our mission of changing the world one table at a time.”
In addition to the millions of views on TikTok, Oliver’s seasoning blends also caught the attention of Wood, who invited Oliver on his podcast. The two kindled a relationship and once Wood met the passionate and professional Dan-O’s team, he was hooked.
“Their work ethic and values are absolutely first class,” Wood said. “Not only do I love this company, but I love the product. It tastes good, it’s healthy, it’s easy to use. I can’t wait to show the rest of the world how special Dan-O’s is.”
After nine seasons with the Buffalo Bills, Wood retired from the NFL in 2018 and is committed to finding his “what’s next” and helping others do the same. He said partnering with Dan-O’s not only aligns with his professional mission, but also his health and wellness goals.
