Main Post Takes Stake in Duke Cannon

Men’s grooming company Duke Cannon Supply Co. has received a strategic growth investment from Main Post Partners.
 
Terms of the accord were not disclosed at press time.
 
Founded in 2011 by Anthony Albanese and Sam Swartz and led by CEO Ryan O’Connell, Duke Cannon provides a range of grooming products including the News Anchor Hair Line, Thick Body Wash and Grunt Foot Powder. The brand began as a DTC business and expaned into independent and specialty retailers like Carhartt, Duluth Trading Co. and Ace Hardware, with recent expansion into more than 30,000 doors of the nation’s leading food, drug, and mass retailers such as Target, H.E.B., Hy-Vee, CVS, and Walgreens. Rooted in military history, the brand continues to gain inspiration from active duty soldiers and donates a portion of its profits to causes that benefit veterans.
 
“We launched this brand for one reason: we were unhappy with the men’s grooming options available at the time. We did not believe the teenage-targeted body wash brands from the big companies reflected the values of decent, hard-working men, and other challenger brands seemed to take themselves way too seriously,” said Swartz, co-founder and VP of marketing.
“With Duke Cannon, we needed to employ a different playbook, so we built a brand grounded in functionality, fun, and purpose. This unique approach has led to a sizable and fast growing legion of deeply loyal fans.”
 
“We have long admired the brand that Sam, Anthony and Ryan have built and are believers in the quality of their products and mission driven purpose of the brand. Duke Cannon is disrupting this large category and we are excited to support the team as they grow their base of loyal customers both online and in-store,” said Jeff Mills, managing partner, Main Post Partners. 
 
Main Post is partnering with existing shareholders including management, the founders and original shareholder, Wayzata Brands CEO Jeff Breazeale.  Also joining as both an investor and board member is Drew Fraser, former CEO of Method and Ecover.
 
Other Main Post investments in the beauty sector include Too Faced Cosmetics, Not Your Mother’s, Milk Makeup, Dr Dennis Gross Skincare, and Sugared + Bronzed.