The partnership marks The Newcastle Network’s first investment in food, backing a brand built with a community of more than 15 million home cooks.
WELLESLEY, Mass., Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Newcastle Network, a consumer-focused private equity firm, today announced a $25 million investment in Dan-O’s Seasoning, the Louisville-based brand that turned a farmers market table into a flavor community more than 15 million strong. The investment marks The Newcastle Network’s first move into food.
The investment will supercharge Dan-O’s next chapter, bringing fans more of the flavors they love, in new formats, and expanding availability across retail and online. Founder Dan Oliver and CEO Phillip Crosby continue to lead Dan-O’s as the company grows, staying true to its mission to change the way the world seasons food.
“The brands we’re most excited about don’t just sell products, they change behavior,” said Chris Casgar, Managing Partner, The Newcastle Network. “Dan has built far more than a seasoning company. He’s created a platform that inspires millions of home cooks to experiment, create, and enjoy cooking more. That’s rare, it’s incredibly difficult to replicate, and it’s exactly the kind of business we’re looking to back as we build our food portfolio. The Dan-O’s investment is just the beginning.”
For Newcastle, Dan-O’s is a signal of a broader commitment to the category. The firm sees founder-led challengers taking share from legacy food brands by building community first and distribution second. Newcastle’s team brings deep expertise in food, built over their individual careers, positioning the firm as a hands-on partner to the brands it backs.
“I started out at a farmers market with one goal: get people to put some Dan-O’s on it, have fun in the kitchen, and make food they were excited to share,” said Dan Oliver, Founder of Dan-O’s Seasoning. “Our Fan-O’s took it from there. They started shakin’ it on everything, mixing flavors, creating their own recipes, and making Dan-O’s part of their own cooking stories. They’ve built this into something way bigger than me. With Newcastle’s support, we’ll keep bringing more Dan-Good flavor, helping more people cook with confidence, and making time in the kitchen even more fun.”
Founder Dan Oliver started Dan-O’s in 2015, selling an early version of his Original blend at a local farmers market after friends kept telling him it was too good to keep to himself. He shared the recipes he was cooking, fans cooked along, and before long they were stacking blends, mixing flavors, and making them their own. Dan-O’s became more than a seasoning. It became a creative outlet in the kitchen and the center of a growing community of home cooks. The brand is sold at danosseasoning.com and in more than 22,000 retailers nationwide, and Dan was named an EY Entrepreneur of the Year in 2023.
Dan-O’s and The Newcastle Network will build the brand’s next chapter together, staying true to the flavor, the fans, and the community that made it what it is today.
About Dan-O’s Seasoning
Dan-O’s Seasoning was founded in 2015 by Dan Oliver in Louisville, Kentucky. The company’s mission is to change how the world seasons food, one seasoning at a time, by providing a flavor-first alternative to traditional herbs and spices. Dan-O’s is one of the fastest-growing seasoning brands in the country with a community of more than 15 million home cooks, and a presence in more than 22,000 major retailers nationwide and online at www.danosseasoning.com.
About The Newcastle Network
The Newcastle Network is a consumer-focused private equity firm that backs standout brands and the exceptional people behind them. Newcastle pairs capital with an operating engine built around data science, technology, and go-to-market expertise, designed to help founders and leadership teams grow faster than they could alone. Its portfolio spans footwear (Kizik), collectibles (Super7), pet (Pet Life Unlimited), and food (Dan-O’s Seasoning).
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dan-os-seasoning-secures-strategic-investment-of-25m-from-the-newcastle-network-to-bring-bold-flavor-to-more-kitchens-302914987.html
SOURCE The Newcastle Network
