Kettle & Fire

What Kettle & Fire does

Kettle & Fire is a U.S.-based consumer packaged goods company founded in 2015 by brothers Nick and Justin Mares that builds, markets, and distributes premium bone broth and adjacent shelf-stable food products. Its core technology is a slow-simmered production process applied to grass-fed beef bones and free-range chicken bones to extract collagen, amino acids, and electrolytes; this process is now operated in-house at the company's first owned 167,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility, KettleWorks, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania (opened May 2025). The product portfolio spans core bone broths (beef, chicken, reduced sodium), flavor variants (turmeric ginger, mushroom), keto-compliant broths and soups (butter chicken, tom yum, broccoli cheddar, mushroom bisque, butter curry, spicy cauliflower), regenerative broths, beef tallow, and a 2026 launch of organic bone broth with collagen peptides. Independent verification includes ConsumerLab.com's finding that 82% of protein content is collagen with no exceedance of lead, cadmium, or arsenic limits; products carry USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified, and Glyphosate Residue Free certifications.

The company sells through a hybrid DTC and retail model. Direct-to-consumer revenue is generated via kettleandfire.com with a Subscribe & Save program offering 20% off for life, free shipping on 12+ cartons, and 10% bundle discounts; retail distribution spans 22,000 stores nationwide across grocery and natural food channels. Marketing is content-led, centered on a Learn Library of recipes, benefits articles, and product guides, supplemented by brand ambassador and healthcare professional programs and an Instacart Immersive Feed shoppable video pilot. Customer segments are horizontal: health-conscious consumers seeking collagen, gut, joint, and immune benefits; keto and low-carb dieters; and athletes and fitness users.

The business is privately held and the founders have stated they intend to remain private. In May 2025 the company executed a $43 million secondary buyout led by Colter Ventures to fund growth in the U.S. bone broth market (estimated at over $400M in 2025) and support manufacturing and retail expansion. In May 2026, leadership transitioned with Sam McBride becoming CEO and Brian Hack taking the President and CFO roles as part of the next growth phase.

Name

Kettle & Fire

Legal name

Kettle & Fire

Website

https://kettleandfire.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kettle & Fire is a U.S. consumer packaged goods company that produces and distributes premium slow-simmered bone broths, keto soups, and beef tallow via DTC subscriptions, its own e-commerce site, and 22,000 retail stores nationwide, serving health-conscious, keto, and athletic consumer segments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Bone Broth and Functional Foods

NAICS

Animal Slaughtering and Processing (3116)

SIC

Meat Packing Plants (2011), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)

akta.pro primary industry

Bone & Cartilage Specialty Processing (Soup Bones, Marrow Bones, Tendons, Collagen-Rich Cuts) (AFANAJAH)

Keywords

• Bone broth products
• Organic soups
• Keto soups
• Cooking broths
• Beef tallow

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct-to-Consumer Subscription: Kettle & Fire sells products directly through its website with a subscription model offering 20% off for subscribers. Customers can sign up for recurring deliveries with free shipping on 12+ cartons.
2. One-Time Purchase (E-commerce): Customers can purchase individual products or bundles without a subscription commitment.
3. Retail Distribution: Products sold through grocery stores, natural food retailers, and other retail partners across 22,000 stores nationwide.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Kettle & Fire manufactures and sells premium slow-simmered bone broth products (beef, chicken, venison, and flavored variants such as turmeric ginger and mushroom) using grass-fed beef bones and free-range chicken bones. The company has expanded its portfolio to include ready-to-eat soups, keto-compliant bone broths and soups, grass-fed beef tallow, and regenerative agriculture broths, sold direct-to-consumer via subscription and one-time e-commerce purchases as well as through over 22,000 U.S. retail grocery and natural food stores.

Product overview

Kettle & Fire is a consumer packaged goods company and category leader in bone broth, offering a portfolio of slow-simmered bone broths, ready-to-eat soups, and cooking fats. The core product line centers on premium bone broths (Beef, Chicken, Venison) available in various flavor variants (Turmeric Ginger, Mushroom). The company has expanded into adjacent categories including Keto Soups (Broccoli Cheddar, Mushroom Bisque, Spicy Cauliflower, Butter Curry), Keto Bone Broths (Butter Chicken, Tom Yum), beef tallow, and regeneratively made products. The products are sold across 10,000+ stores nationwide and online, with the company operating its first owned manufacturing facility (KettleWorks) in Lancaster, Pennsylvania as of May 2025.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Beef Bone Broth Premium 100% grass-fed beef bone broth, slow-simmered for maximum flavor and nutrition; targeted at health-conscious consumers seeking collagen, gut health, and joint support.
• Chicken Bone Broth Premium free-range chicken bone broth, slow-simmered for rich flavor; the company's flagship top-selling product.
• Maui Nui Venison Bone Broth Wild-harvested venison bone broth made from Axis Deer on Maui, created through a partnership with Maui Nui; limited-edition emphasizing sustainability and ecological balance.
• Reduced Sodium Chicken Bone Broth Lower-sodium variant of the company's signature free-range chicken bone broth, designed for health-conscious consumers monitoring sodium intake.
• Turmeric Ginger Chicken Bone Broth Chicken bone broth infused with turmeric and ginger for anti-inflammatory benefits; popular flavored bone broth variant.
• Mushroom Chicken Bone Broth Chicken bone broth with added mushrooms for enhanced umami flavor and nutritional benefits; popular flavor variant.
• Grass-Fed Grass-Finished Beef Tallow Grass-fed, grass-finished beef tallow (14oz) for cooking applications; expands the company's portfolio beyond bone broth into the cooking fats category.
• Broccoli Cheddar Keto Soup Keto-compliant soup made with free-range chicken bones, heavy cream, aged sharp cheddar, and broccoli; contains 13g protein and 5g net carbs per serving, targeting low-carb diet followers.
• Mushroom Bisque Keto Soup Keto-compliant creamy mushroom soup made with free-range chicken bones, organic mushrooms, cream, and parmesan; contains 9g protein and 7g net carbs per serving.
• Spicy Cauliflower Keto Soup Keto-compliant soup featuring free-range chicken bones, organic cauliflower, coconut milk, and red curry; contains 8g protein and 3g net carbs per serving.
• Butter Curry Keto Soup Keto-compliant Indian-inspired soup made with free-range chicken bones, shredded chicken, coconut cream, and masala spices.
• Butter Chicken Bone Broth Keto-compliant butter chicken flavored bone broth made with organic butter, MCT oil, turmeric, and herbs; contains 6g protein and only 1g net carbs per serving.
• Tom Yum Chicken Bone Broth Thai-inspired keto bone broth with free-range chicken bones, organic coconut milk, Thai chili peppers, and ginger; contains 4g net carbs per serving.
• Organic Bone Broth with Collagen Peptides Organic bone broth formulation enhanced with collagen peptides, launched in February 2026 as part of the company's functional nutrition product line expansion.

Quantifiable outcome

• 82% of protein content in bone broth is collagen, verified by ConsumerLab
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• High Real Estate GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKettleWorks manufacturing facility developed in partnership with High Real Estate Group. The 167,000 sq. ft. facility in Lancaster, Pennsylvania represents the company's first owned production operation.
• Maui NuiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLimited-edition wild-harvested Venison Bone Broth collaboration made from Axis Deer on Maui. Product emphasizes sustainability, nutrition, and ecological balance.
• InstacartminorGTM or Marketing PartnerKettle & Fire is among the first brand partners piloting Instacart's 'Immersive Feed' shoppable video feature. The partnership enables customers to discover and purchase Kettle & Fire products through short-form video content within Instacart's platform.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pacific Foods: Owned by Campbell Soup, Pacific Foods produces organic broths, soups, and plant-based beverages in shelf-stable cartons. Directly comparable product format, retail channels, and clean-ingredient positioning to Kettle & Fire's bone broth line.
• Bonafide Provisions: Organic, frozen bone broth and sip brand positioned around gut health and immunity. Closest head-to-head competitor in the premium bone broth category with similar ingredient philosophy (pasture-raised, organic) and target consumers.
• Bare Bones Broth: Direct-to-consumer bone broth brand focused on collagen, protein, and gut health, with both liquid broths and powdered formats. Comparable functional-nutrition positioning, ingredient sourcing standards, and consumer demographic.
• Osso Good Co. Frozen bone broth producer emphasizing pasture-raised bones and regenerative sourcing. Competes in the same premium bone broth segment with comparable clean-label and collagen-focused value proposition.
• Imagine Foods: Organic broths, soups, and cooking stocks owned by McCormick. Closely overlaps with Kettle & Fire's organic broth category across retail channels and consumer demographics seeking clean-label prepared foods.

Broad incumbents

• Swanson Broth: Mass-market broth and stock brand owned by Campbell Soup with nationwide grocery distribution. Sets the price floor in the category and competes for shelf space but lacks premium/functional positioning.
• College Inn: Broth and stock brand owned by Hormel Foods with broad grocery presence. Incumbent competitor in the broader broth category but positioned as value-tier versus Kettle & Fire's premium positioning.
• Amy's Kitchen: Premium organic frozen meals, soups, and pantry products with strong grocery distribution and clean-ingredient credentials. Comparable consumer demographic, retail footprint, and organic/non-GMO positioning across overlapping categories.

Emerging players

• Vital Proteins: Collagen peptide supplements and functional nutrition brand owned by Nestlé Health Science. Adjacent competitor in the collagen-and-functional-food overlap, particularly relevant as Kettle & Fire expands into collagen peptide-enhanced broths.
• Rao's Made at Home (Sovos Brands): Premium pasta sauces, soups, and refrigerated meals positioned around clean ingredients and restaurant-quality taste. Comparable premium CPG playbook, retail channel strategy, and consumer willingness-to-pay profile.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kettleandfire
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kettle-fire-bone-broth

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors7 records

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Kettle & Fire