What Ancient Nutrition does

Ancient Nutrition, operating as Ancient Brands, LLC, is a Franklin/Nashville, Tennessee-based direct-to-consumer dietary supplements company founded in 2010 by Jordan Rubin and Dr. Josh Axe. Its core proposition is multi-source collagen and bone broth protein formulations — most notably a flagship Multi Collagen Protein combining 10 collagen types — alongside a broader portfolio spanning sports nutrition (Multi Protein, Creatine + Collagen, Rapid Hydration), gut health (SBO Probiotics, Organic Fiber, Colostrum), organic SuperGreens, and women's health lines. The company's technical differentiation rests on vertically integrated Regenerative Organic Certified founder-owned farms in Tennessee and Missouri, fermented ingredient technology, and sustainability packaging (BioBottles, 40% post-consumer recycled PCR bags).

The business operates a subscription-led DTC model at ancientnutrition.com with a Subscribe & Save program (35% off first order, 15% recurring, free shipping) complemented by marketplace listings on Amazon and iHerb, a wholesale/practitioner program, and physical retail through Fresh Thyme Market and Sprouts Farmers Market. Pricing is unit-based, ranging roughly $29.95 to $89.95 per SKU, with affiliate and refer-a-friend programs supporting customer acquisition. The company holds B Corp, Carbon Neutral (Climate Impact Partners), Regenerative Organic Certified, and Ecological Outcome Verification certifications, and runs the R.A.N.C.H. Project and Feed & Seed Program as sustainability differentiators.

Ancient Nutrition was acquired by Wellful, Inc. in January 2025. The company was previously backed by a $103 million funding round in March 2018 led by VMG Partners with Cambridge Companies, Hillhouse Investment, ICONIQ Capital, and M13, and operates with a team of 110+ people across the U.S. and Canada.

Name

Ancient Nutrition

Legal name

Ancient Brands, LLC

Website

https://ancientnutrition.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Ancient Nutrition is a Nashville-based DTC supplements brand selling multi-collagen, bone broth protein, probiotics, sports nutrition, and SuperGreens to health-conscious consumers, with vertical integration from Regenerative Organic Certified founder-owned farms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dietary Supplements

NAICS

Food Manufacturing (311), Food (Health) Supplement Retailers (456191)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Amino Acids & Peptides (BCAAs, Collagen Peptides, Bioactive Peptides, L-Theanine) (AFAJAKAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Probiotics & Digestive Health Supplements (CRADAGAF), Alternative Protein Snacks, Bars & RTD Nutrition Manufacturing (AFAKAGAK), Proteins & Functional Nutrition Ingredients (Plant/Animal Proteins, Collagen, Amino Acids) (CRADAOAJ), Animal-Derived Protein Ingredients (Egg, Collagen/Gelatin, Blood/Plasma Proteins) (AFAJAHAB)

Keywords

• Collagen supplements
• Dietary supplements
• Sports nutrition
• Bone broth protein
• Probiotics gut health

Headquarters

HQ city

Franklin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Direct-to-Consumer E-Commerce: Primary revenue channel through ancientnutrition.com, selling supplements directly to consumers via one-time purchases and subscription orders. The website features a Subscribe & Save program with tiered discounts (35% first order, 15% recurring) and a rewards program with cash-back redemption.
2. Marketplace Sales (Amazon, iHerb): Products sold through Amazon and iHerb (international customers), providing third-party retail distribution alongside the DTC channel.
3. Wholesale / B2B: Wholesale program targeting health care practitioners and retail partners, including Fresh Thyme Market and other natural product retailers. Awards recognition (Fresh Thyme MVP Award 2025) indicates active B2B wholesale relationships.
4. Affiliate & Referral Program: Affiliate marketing program managed through PerformCB platform, with referral incentives ($10 off for friends, $10 credit for referrer) driving customer acquisition at low marginal cost.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Ancient Nutrition manufactures and sells dietary supplements including multi-collagen peptide protein powders, bone broth proteins, sports nutrition products (creatine, whey, plant protein, hydration), regenerative organic certified probiotics, organic superfood greens, vitamins, and herbal supplements. The company sources proprietary ingredients from its Regenerative Organic Certified founder-owned farms and sells primarily direct-to-consumer through ancientnutrition.com with subscription options, supplemented by Amazon, iHerb, and natural grocery retail channels.

Product overview

Ancient Nutrition is a direct-to-consumer dietary supplement brand offering multiple product lines centered on collagen peptides, bone broth proteins, sports nutrition, probiotics, and organic superfoods. The portfolio includes the core Multi Collagen Protein and Multi Collagen Advanced lines, Bone Broth Collagen and Bone Broth Protein for functional nutrition, Active Peptides (Cortisol, Magnesium, Metabolism) for targeted wellness, Organic SuperGreens in powder/tablet/gummy forms, comprehensive gut health solutions (SBO Probiotics, Organic Fiber, Colostrum), and Vitamins & Multivitamins. The company differentiates through regenerative agriculture sourcing from founder-owned farms, Regenerative Organic Certified ingredients, multi-source collagen formulations (10 types), and fermented formulations. The products are sold through ancientnutrition.com, Amazon, iHerb, and select retail partners, with subscription options for recurring delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Multi Collagen Protein Multi-source collagen supplement providing 10 types of collagen from multiple sources in hydrolyzed peptide form for hair, skin, nails, joints, and gut health support. For health-conscious consumers seeking beauty-from-within and joint nutrition.
• Multi Collagen Advanced Advanced collagen formula delivering benefits for fat loss goals, lean body composition, and persistent collagen benefits with hydrolyzed peptides. Targets consumers focused on weight management alongside collagen.
• Bone Broth Protein Protein powder derived from bone broth offering collagen-rich functional nutrition and gut health support. For consumers seeking traditional bone broth nutrition in convenient powder form.
• Creatine + Collagen + Electrolytes Formula combining 5g creatine monohydrate with real-food electrolytes and fermented eggshell membrane collagen for muscle support, recovery, and hydration balance. For athletes and active consumers.
• Multi Protein + Creatine All-in-one formula delivering 26g complete protein from grass-fed whey, bone broth, A2/A2 milk protein, collagen peptides, and colostrum plus creatine monohydrate for muscle, joint, and cognitive health. For athletes and fitness-focused consumers.
• Whey Protein Grass-fed whey protein supplement supporting muscle health, fitness goals, and lean body composition. For athletes and fitness enthusiasts.
• Regenerative Organic Certified Probiotics

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 11,000 five-star customer reviews on Multi Collagen Protein product
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• Plastic BankcoreOthersPartnership with Plastic Bank, an organization that collects, recycles, and re-processes plastic waste. Ancient Nutrition's partnership has prevented the equivalent of 4,545,450 plastic bottles from entering the ocean. This supports the company's sustainability and environmental impact commitments.
• Repurpose GlobalminorOthersPartnership with Repurpose Global to remove plastic from oceans and the environment as part of Ancient Nutrition's ongoing plastic reduction initiatives.
• Climate Impact PartnerscoreOthersPartnership for Carbon Neutral certification. Ancient Nutrition is a certified CarbonNeutral company through Climate Impact Partners, having calculated and offset all emissions associated with business operations in accordance with The CarbonNeutral Protocol — the first milestone toward being carbon negative.
• Heal the Planet Farms (Tennessee & Missouri)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAncient Nutrition partnered with Heal the Planet farms in Tennessee and Missouri, which were the first Regenerative Organic Certified farms in those states. These farms produce ingredients for Ancient Nutrition products and host the company's R.A.N.C.H. Project regenerative agriculture initiatives.
• Sprouts Farmers MarketmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSprouts Farmers Market is a partner in Ancient Nutrition's Feed & Seed Program, contributing food scraps to help feed animals on company farms and build topsoil. Sprouts is also a retail outlet for Ancient Nutrition products.
• HiltonminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHilton hotels partner with Ancient Nutrition's Feed & Seed Program, repurposing food scraps from their operations to contribute to regenerative farming on Ancient Nutrition's farms.
• Clean JuiceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorClean Juice is a partner in the Feed & Seed Program, contributing food scraps to support the company's regenerative agriculture and sustainability initiatives.
• Savory InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAncient Nutrition's Center for Regenerative Agriculture has been accepted as a Savory Hub, enabling the company to share regenerative agriculture knowledge and practices more widely from its Tennessee farm location.
• Land O'Market (EOV)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEcological Outcome Verification (EOV) provided by Land O'Market/Savory Institute for monitoring land health, soil health, biodiversity and ecosystem function across Ancient Nutrition's farm properties.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Vital Proteins: Vital Proteins is the leading collagen peptides and beauty-from-within supplement brand, directly competing with Ancient Nutrition's Multi Collagen Protein in DTC, retail, and foodservice. Both brands sell multi-source collagen, bone broth protein, and premium-positioned supplements to similar health-conscious consumers.
• Sports Research Corporation: Sports Research is a direct DTC and Amazon competitor in collagen peptides, vitamins, and sports nutrition. Its product mix (collagen, whey, vitamins, probiotics) and channel strategy (Amazon-heavy, plus DTC) closely mirrors Ancient Nutrition's positioning in the same price band.
• Orgain: Orgain is a leading plant- and animal-based protein powder and nutrition shake brand with overlapping collagen, whey, and clean-label positioning. It sells through similar DTC, retail (including Sprouts and natural grocery), and practitioner channels.
• AG1 (Athletic Greens): AG1 is a premium greens and supplement subscription brand with similar GTM motion — DTC subscription, founder-led brand storytelling, and a quiz-driven personalization funnel — competing for the same daily-nutrition consumer wallet share.
• Bulletproof: Bulletproof sells collagen protein, MCT, and functional supplements through DTC and retail channels targeting performance- and longevity-focused consumers — a core demographic for Ancient Nutrition's sports nutrition and active peptides lines.

Broad incumbents

• Garden of Life: Garden of Life is an established, broad-line certified-organic supplements brand owned by Nestlé Health Science. It overlaps with Ancient Nutrition across probiotics, multivitamins, protein powders, and collagen, and competes for the same natural-foods retail shelf space.

Emerging players

• Ritual: Ritual is a DTC-first multivitamin and supplement brand competing for the same premium, ingredient-transparent, design-forward consumer. While its core is multivitamins rather than collagen, it competes directly in vitamins and broader 'clean-label supplements' share of wallet.
• Care/of: Care/of is a personalized DTC vitamin and supplement brand using quizzes and subscription to drive retention. It competes with Ancient Nutrition in the vitamins and supplements category, particularly among younger consumers shopping digitally.

Others

• Primal Kitchen: Primal Kitchen is a mission-driven CPG brand under the same Wellful acquisition thesis and was co-recognized with Ancient Nutrition in Fresh Thyme's 2025 MVP awards. While its core is pantry/condiments, it shares consumer overlap and retail buyer relationships, making it a portfolio-adjacent comparable post-Wellful.

Regional players

• Standard Process: Standard Process is a practitioner-channel whole-food supplements brand with strong practitioner/wholesale distribution. Ancient Nutrition runs a parallel healthcare-practitioner program (ancientnutritionpractitioner.com/hcp), making Standard Process a comparable B2B-driven supplements peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/ancientnutrition
• Xx.com/ancientnutr

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors5 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments2 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ancient Nutrition