Detour® Protein Bars Endorsed by Star Pro Football Players

CARSON CITY, Nev., Nov. 30, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Nutrition bar company Forward Foods, LLC, today announced that professional football players from the New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers, Denver Broncos and Jacksonville Jaguars have endorsed the company's award-winning Detour protein bars. The following four players have all signed multi-season endorsement agreements with Forward Foods:

• Steve Smith, Pro Bowl Wide Receiver for the New York Giants
• LaMarr Woodley, Pro Bowl Outside Linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers
• Eddie Royal, Wide Receiver/Punt Returner for the Denver Broncos
• Mike Thomas, Wide Receiver/Punt Returner for the Jacksonville Jaguars

As elite competitive athletes who require peak physical performance to succeed, all four players maintain an aggressive, year-round training and nutritional program.  Primary among their nutritional needs, and those of athletes everywhere, Detour is a high quality protein source to support muscle development and recovery.  

Detour, a nutrition industry leader in taste, cutting edge innovation and high performance protein products, is a natural solution for serious athletes.  As team and league leaders with exceptional athletic abilities and the proven will to win, all four players are a perfect fit for Detour.

"We were excited and proud to be approached by Steve, LaMarr, Eddie and Mike to support the Detour brand. All four of these players are among the best of the best – they've put in a lifetime of preparation and dedication, both to their physical capabilities and to their mastery of professional football. That's exactly the type of achiever and athlete we want endorsing Detour," said Forward Foods CEO, Pat Muldoon.

"Detour protein bars actually taste great, which is rare in the industry.  Growing up playing sports, I've tried a ton of protein products over the years, but when I found Detour, it instantly became my favorite. I feel privileged to partner with a product I personally use on a regular basis and truly believe in," said Smith.

To hear and see first-hand from each player about their football preparation, as well as Detour protein bars, their favorite flavors and more, you can "like" each of them on Facebook by following these links: Steve Smith, LaMarr Woodley, Eddie Royal and Mike Thomas.

About Forward Foods

Forward Foods, LLC manufactures and markets high protein, snack, and energy bars under the Detour brand. Since the introduction of the original bar in October 2002, Detour has grown into a $50MM retail brand platform and is the leading high protein brand in health and fitness stores. Detour revolutionized the high protein bar category by being the first to utilize candy bar technology and formulation to create a truly "great tasting" high protein bar. The brand has now expanded to more mainstream channels including food grocery, drug store, mass merchant, club and convenience stores. For more information on the complete line of great tasting, high protein Detour products, visit http://detourbar.com or follow Detour at http://www.facebook.com/DetourBars.

About Steve Smith

Steve Smith was selected as a 2009 Pro Bowl wide receiver following a regular season in which he led the NFC with 107 receptions and had 1,220 yards with 7 touchdowns.  Along the way, Smith shattered the Giants team record for most receptions in a season (82).  An integral part of the Giants team since 2007, Smith had 5 catches for 50 yards – including 4 critical third down conversions – in the Giants Super Bowl XLII victory.  Prior to joining the Giants, Smith attended the University of Southern California, where his team won a BCS National Championship.  In addition, Steve remains among the school's career leaders in receiving.

About LaMarr Woodley

LaMarr Woodley had a career year during the 2009 season, when he started all 16 games at outside linebacker, led the team with a career-high 13.5 sacks, and was selected to his first Pro Bowl. Woodley was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round of the 2007 NFL draft. In 2008, he became the first player in professional football history to record three consecutive multi-sack playoff games. Woodley extended his streak to four games with two sacks, which helped the Steelers defeat the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII. Prior to joining the Steelers, Woodley played for the University of Michigan where he earned multiple awards, including the Lombardi Award, given to the best college football lineman or linebacker in the country.

About Eddie Royal

Eddie Royal is a wide receiver and special teams return specialist for the Denver Broncos. Royal was drafted in the second round of the 2008 draft and quickly became a Denver Broncos fan favorite. Early in the 2009-2010 season, he became the fourth fastest player in professional football history to reach 100 career receptions. He is also the first player in Broncos' history and only the 11th player in league history to return a kickoff and a punt for touchdowns in the same game. Prior to joining the Broncos, Royal played for Virginia Tech, where he became the ACC's all-time leader in punt return yards and helped the team clinch the ACC Atlantic Division title and secure a spot in the 2008 Orange Bowl.

About Mike Thomas

Mike Thomas is a wide receiver for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Thomas was drafted by the Jaguars in 2009, where he went on to start four of 14 games for 48 receptions, 453 yards and a touchdown. With 48 receptions, he set a franchise record for most catches by a rookie. Prior to joining the Jaguars, Thomas attended the University of Arizona, where he started in 39 of 48 games and set the school and Pac-10 record for receptions with 259 for 3,321 yards and 23 touchdowns.

SOURCE Forward Foods, LLC