Jason Kelce, left, joins with Hank Sauce co-founders Matt Pittaluga, Brian “Hank” Ruxton and Josh Jaspan. (Courtesy of Hank Sauce)
A Jersey Shore hot sauce company is expected to become an even hotter brand in the national marketplace with the help of a celebrity investor who knows a thing or two about winning.
Sea Isle City-based Hank Sauce has teamed up with former Philadelphia Eagles star center Jason Kelce in a new partnership.
The investment by Kelce’s Winnie Capital will accelerate Hank Sauce’s national expansion and increase its visibility in new markets across the country.
“I’m a longtime fan and consumer of Hank Sauce products. As someone who has spent time in the South Jersey area for the past 14 years, I’ve gotten to know the people who built the brand and see the awesomeness that exudes from behind and within its bottles,” Kelce said in a news release Monday announcing the partnership.
The amount and terms of Kelce’s investment were not revealed in the release.
His involvement immediately boosts the national profile of Hank Sauce. A national celebrity in his own right, the former Philadelphia Eagles All-Pro and Pro-Bowl center, and member of the 2018 Super Bowl championship team, has been a podcaster and football analyst since retiring from the NFL two years ago.
Hank Sauce, around since 2011, was created as a college project built around co-founder and chef Brian “Hank” Ruxton’s personal recipe. The sauce was first made in a garage before moving into the brand’s flagship Sea isle City restaurant, where every bottle was handcrafted and hand-bottled for more than six years.
Fueled by word of mouth and a growing demand for the brand, Hank Sauce eventually expanded into its wholly owned 10,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Millville, N.J., and is now sold in more than 5,000 stores nationwide, according to the release.
“Trying Hank’s recipe in college completely changed my mind about hot sauce,” said Matt Pittaluga, co-founder of Hank Sauce. “After watching friends react to it for the first time, we realized there was a real opportunity for mild sauces that enhance food instead of overpowering it. We’ve poured our lives into building this brand, and we couldn’t be more excited to have Jason on board – not just as a partner and ambassador, but as a genuine fan long before this partnership.”
Hank Sauce has a restaurant at 8605 Landis Ave. in Sea Isle City’s Townsends Inlet section. (Photo courtesy of Hank Sauce Facebook page)In their partnership, Kelce will collaborate with Hank Sauce on original content and ongoing brand strategy and awareness initiatives.
“When an opportunity arose to be a part of this thing, and help let folks know what makes this brand and product so fantastic for any of your culinary or flavor-adding endeavors, I couldn’t jump on board fast enough. Where it’s made, who’s behind it, how it came about, and what it tastes like, has made this one of the easiest brands to partner with. I can’t wait to see where we take it,” Kelce said.
Kelce and Hank Sauce both have strong ties and enormous popularity in Sea Isle.
Hank Sauce has a restaurant at 8605 Landis Ave. in Sea Isle’s Townsends Inlet section.
Kelce is both a fan favorite in Sea Isle as a former Eagle and as the owner of a summer vacation home in the resort town. He is regularly spotted stopping in at Sea Isle businesses or participating in the annual Mike’s Seafood Run-Walk for Autism fundraiser each February.
For the last five years, Kelce has appeared at the Ocean Drive bar and sister property O’Donnell’s Pour House in Sea Isle to play the role of celebrity bartender while headlining a fundraiser that benefits the Eagles Autism Foundation and his “Team 62” charity.
His Winnie Capital is a private entity supporting the business and philanthropic activities of Kelce and his wife, Kylie. The Winnie Capital portfolio includes diverse investments and partnerships across media, athletics, consumer packaged goods, apparel, real estate, agriculture and technology.
