Business Spotlight: Well-Oiled Machine

In the world of woodworking and outdoor enthusiasts, Walrus Oil has become a well-oiled machine, focusing on cutting board oils and waxes and a strong commitment to sustainability. Founded by Dave Darr in 2017, the Ozark-based company has come a long way from its beginnings as a hobby and is now gaining recognition on a national scale, with products now available in Walmart (NYSE: WMT) and Lowe’s (NYSE: LOW) stores.

Darr, a hobbyist woodworker, started experimenting with making his own wood finishes after graduating college with a marketing degree.

“I did it just for fun, but it eventually became a side hustle that was pretty successful,” he says. After being accepted into a graduate school program to study Native American religion, Darr said he needed to earn extra money for tuition and turned to selling his wood waxes and oils. At the time, Darr says he could make the oil, package about 500 at a time and sell them for $10 each.

“I figured, that should help out with tuition. But it grew incredibly fast,” he says, “so fast in fact that I ended up not going to grad school and have been doing Walrus Oil ever since.”

As Darr’s products grew in popularity, he decided to quit his job in sales and account management after about two years. Looking to sell beyond online sources, he turned to local and regional retailers and found a fit with a variety of businesses, from Grizzly Industrial Inc. to independently owned brick-and-mortar boutiques.

Andy Lambert, co-president of Things to Savor artisan boutique on Commercial Street, sells Walrus Oil in the store and uses it on his own wood products for sale. He says the appeal is that it’s food safe for cutting boards and contains quality ingredients to protect wood.

“I don’t let anything out of my shop without oiling it first,” says Lambert, who makes custom wooden pieces. “I recommend it to customers as maintenance and protection of the wood, to prevent it from drying out.”

In addition, Darr says he found unexpected success using a retail platform called RangeMe.

“Essentially, it’s an online marketplace and a way for large retailers to discover new products and brands,” he says, noting the cost is $1,000 annually, and it’s been effective connecting him with Walmart and Lowe’s.

In November 2022, Walrus Oil was selected from thousands of brands to present at Lowe’s Charlotte, North Carolina, headquarters for an opportunity to have the product available at 500 stores and online.

“Only 250 brands were selected to present,” Darr says. “I was sick to my stomach from nerves, but it was a good experience.”

The presentation was a success, and Walrus Oil is in a test phase with Lowe’s to see how it sells online versus on shelves.

Darr’s company also creates a line of skin care that includes hand salve, lip balm and bug repellant, some of which were available online for a limited time through Urban Outfitters. Most recently, Darr is introducing Sawdust Coffee Co., beans that are roasted regionally from an undisclosed source.

A serial entrepreneur, Darr started his first business at age 16 selling promotional record merchandise on eBay and also had dreams of opening a coffee shop, so this helps check off that box for him.

“I’m a total coffee snob,” he says, laughing. “I drink a lot of coffee, a minimum of one bag a week for sure, so it totally made sense to sell coffee and work it into the Walrus Oil brand.”

As Walrus Oil expands its retail presence, Darr remains committed to managing the company’s growth responsibly. Darr says annual revenue surpassed $1 million in 2021 and has remained above seven figures since then. Sales channels include the company’s website, WalrusOil.com, and dozens of independent retailers nationwide, in addition to the chain stores.

“We’ve been growing almost too fast,” he says. “We want to make sure over the next year we don’t get into any more large retail stores because we want to make sure what we’re making is being managed well. If Target or Kroger calls, we’ll lose control, because it’s too much at once.”

The company also is exploring ways to improve employee benefits and compensation packages.

Walrus Oil, which currently employs around 10 and has seasonal fluctuations, primarily markets through social media, especially Instagram, and its email list, with over 50,000 addresses.

Darr says he wants to ensure the company is sustainable not just in sales, but in its ecological and carbon footprint as well. One of Walrus Oil’s noteworthy achievements is obtaining Climate Neutral certification. The company undergoes an annual review of its carbon footprint and purchases carbon credits to offset its emissions. In 2022, Walrus Oil invested about $8,000 in the process and, in exchange, funded a tree-planning initiative in Asia.

“We definitely are putting our footprint out there,” he says, “and we want to put solar panels on our building to move forward.”

Upcoming, Walrus Oil will be heading to Austin, Texas, to represent the Ozarks region in the annual Woodworking Festival. Darr says it’s the largest festival for the company’s demographic. He also has one more big goal for Walrus Oil: opening a retail location or additional sales office in Montana.

“It’s a pipe dream, but we love it up there,” he says.