Rick's Picks
Rick's Picks USA LLC is a Brooklyn-founded, bootstrapped specialty food company producing premium naturally fermented pickles and pickled vegetables, sold nationally through Whole Foods, Cost Plus World Market, Amazon, food service, and direct-to-consumer e-commerce.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersBrooklyn, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Rick's Picks does
Rick's Picks USA LLC is a privately held, founder-led specialty food company founded in 2004 in a one-bedroom apartment kitchen in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, that produces premium, naturally fermented pickles and pickled vegetable products. The company has grown without disclosed institutional funding into a nationally distributed brand sold through Whole Foods Market (Northeast, North Atlantic, and Southwest regions with stated expansion into California and Mid-Atlantic), Cost Plus World Market, Amazon, food service channels, NYC farmer's markets, and a direct-to-consumer Shopify storefront with worldwide shipping. Its product line centers on six core jar SKUs—Classic Sours, Hotties, Mean Beans, Phat Beets, Smokra, and The People's Pickle—priced at $11.99–$14.98, plus Snacking Pickle Pouches (Non-GMO Project Verified, gluten-free, under 25 calories per serving) introduced in 2019, and curated bundles such as the Cocktail Trio, Hot Box, and Variety Top Seller Pack priced up to $52.99.
The underlying production model relies on traditional natural fermentation and hand-packing with produce sourced from trusted local farmers, anchored by long-standing sourcing partnerships through the Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket in Brooklyn. Operating sub-brands include Pickle Lab, which provides B2B food product innovation, custom development, and trend-spotting services for third-party brands, and an Organic Collection for hand-crafted, all-natural ferments. The company holds Non-GMO Project Verified certification across core lines and has accumulated industry recognition including Best in Show at the 2004 Rosendale International Pickle Festival and Outstanding Appetizer at the 2007 Fancy Food Show for Phat Beets. In 2019, its Cumin-Lime Dill and Garlic-Dill snacking pickle pouches accompanied six members of NASA's Expedition 61 crew on a space mission, functioning as a flagship brand visibility event rather than a recurring revenue stream.
Revenue mechanics span unit-priced direct-to-consumer e-commerce (with a 10% email signup discount and free shipping on orders over $50), wholesale distribution to retail chains and Amazon at standard transaction economics, food service transactions with restaurants and bars (particularly through cocktail-garnish SKUs), and professional services fees from Pickle Lab. The company pursues a hybrid go-to-market combining DTC, multi-region retail wholesale, food service, and event-driven sales, with marketing activity concentrated on Instagram, an email newsletter offering weekly recipes, and a recipe blog.
Rick's Picks firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Rick's Picks
- Legal name
- Rick's Picks USA LLC
- Website
- https://rickspicks.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Rick's Picks USA LLC is a Brooklyn-founded, bootstrapped specialty food company producing premium naturally fermented pickles and pickled vegetables, sold nationally through Whole Foods, Cost Plus World Market, Amazon, food service, and direct-to-consumer e-commerce.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Rick's Picks industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Pickles & Fermented Foods
- NAICS
- Fruit and Vegetable Canning, Pickling, and Drying (31142), Specialty Canning (311422), Other Snack Food Manufacturing (311919)
- SIC
- Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030), Canned, Fruits, Veg, Preserves, Jams & Jellies (2033)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fermented & Pickled Fruit & Vegetable Products (Pickles, Kimchi, Sauerkraut) (AFAKAFAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Pickled & Fermented Foods Manufacturing (AFAKACAI)
Keywords
Where Rick's Picks is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Brooklyn
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Rick's Picks business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Direct-to-Consumer E-commerce: Online sales through Shopify platform with products shipped directly to consumers. Offers free shipping on orders over $50. Email signup provides 10% discount for first-time buyers.
- Wholesale/Retail Distribution: Products sold through major retail chains including Whole Foods and Cost Plus World Market, as well as Amazon marketplace for online retail distribution.
- Food Service: Products distributed to restaurants, bars, and food service establishments. Expanded into food service sector during Phase 2 (2009-2019).
- B2B Product Development: Pickle Lab offers food product innovation and development services for other brands seeking custom pickle and ferment products.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual jar products |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Bundle/Combo Products |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Free Shipping Threshold |
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | Email Signup Discount |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Rick's Picks product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Rick's Picks manufactures and sells premium, 100% all-natural, naturally fermented pickles and vegetable ferments under its own brand. The portfolio spans jar-format pickles (Classic Sours, Hotties, Mean Beans, Phat Beets, Smokra, The People's Pickle), shelf-stable snacking pouches (Cumin-Lime Dill, Garlic-Dill), an organic collection, and curated jar bundles. Through Pickle Lab, the company also provides B2B food product innovation and flavor development services.
Product overview
Rick's Picks is a specialty food company offering premium, 100% all-natural pickles and ferments. The product portfolio centers on core jar products (Classic Sours, Hotties, Mean Beans, Phat Beets, Smokra, The People's Pickle) and Snacking Pickles in convenient pouches. Products are organized into collections including Jar Collection, Organic Collection, Pickle Collection, and Snacking Pickles Collection. The company also offers bundles (Cocktail Trio, Dill & Sour Trio, Hot Box, Variety Top Seller Pack, Veggie Trio) and B2B food development services through their Pickle Lab. Products are Non-GMO Project Verified and won multiple industry awards including Best in Show at the Rosendale International Pickle Festival and Outstanding Appetizer at the 2007 Fancy Food Show.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Pickle Lab: Food development division specializing in flavor innovation and food product innovation.
Products and services
- Classic Sours Tangy deli-style pickle spears with a timeless, sour flavor profile, part of the core jar collection. Sold direct-to-consumer and through retail partners.
- Hotties Spicy pickles delivering heat and bold flavor for consumers who enjoy a kick. Marketed as part of the core jar collection.
- Mean Beans Spicy pickled green beans with bold flavor, crisp texture, and zesty seasoning. Sold as part of the core jar collection.
- Phat Beets Aromatic pickled beet slices featuring rosemary, ginger, and lemon. Won Outstanding Appetizer at the 2007 Fancy Food Show.
- Smokra Smoked paprika-infused okra providing a unique, smoky twist on traditional pickled vegetables.
- The People's Pickle Savory, aromatic dill pickle chips with garlic-forward flavor profile and crunchy texture.
- Snacking Pickles On-the-go convenience pouches (Cumin-Lime Dill, Garlic-Dill) featuring Non-GMO, gluten-free pickles with less than 25 calories per pouch. Shelf-stable and portion-controlled.
- Organic Collection Hand-crafted, all-natural pickles and ferments made with real, honest ingredients sourced from organic farms.
- Jar Bundles (Cocktail Trio, Dill & Sour Trio, Hot Box, Variety Top Seller Pack, Veggie Trio) Curated multi-jar bundles (Cocktail Trio, Dill & Sour Trio, Hot Box, Variety Top Seller Pack, Veggie Trio) priced from $23.99 to $42.39, offering 20–40% discounts versus individual jars; designed for cocktail garnishes, gifting, and assortment.
- Pickle Lab (B2B Food Product Development) Food product innovation service specializing in flavor development, trend analysis, and food product creation from seed to shelf. Offered to other brands seeking custom pickle and ferment products.
Quantifiable outcome
- Non-GMO Project Verified certification
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Rick's Picks
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Rick's Picks technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Rick's Picks partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- NASAflagshipUnique partnership where Rick's Picks snacking pickle pouches (Cumin-Lime Dill and Garlic-Dill) accompanied 6 NASA members of Expedition 61 Crew on space exploration in 2019. Products chosen for space travel based on quality and shelf stability.
- Whole FoodscoreMajor retail partnership established during Phase 1 (2004-2009). Products distributed nationally through Whole Foods locations in Northeast, North Atlantic, Southwest regions with expansion planned for California and Mid-Atlantic.
- Cost Plus World MarketcoreSnacking pickles carried through Cost Plus World Market specialty retail locations.
- AmazonminorMarketplace listing for snacking pickle products reaching customers through Amazon's e-commerce platform.
- Local Farmers (Brooklyn, NY)corePartnership with local growers sourcing fresh produce from the Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket in Brooklyn. Farm partners follow responsible practices and Rick's Picks supports farming families and initiatives like women's education.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Rick's Picks competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- McClure's Pickles: Directly comparable: McClure's produces artisanal, all-natural pickles (dills, sours, relishes) sourced from local farms, sold DTC and through specialty retailers. Very similar Brooklyn/heritage origin story and flavor-driven product line.
- Cleveland Kitchen: Directly comparable: Cleveland Kitchen makes fermented and pickled vegetables (sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles, pickled beets) with a clean-label, gut-health positioning. Overlaps in fermented/pickled category with a broader vegetable platform.
- Bubbies Pickles: Directly comparable: Bubbies produces naturally fermented, kosher dill pickles and mochi distributed in jars and tubs across natural and mainstream grocery. Same premium/artisan positioning, same pickling focus, same retail channels (Whole Foods, natural food stores).
- Grillo's Pickles: Directly comparable: Grillo's produces refrigerated, all-natural pickles with bold flavor profiles sold nationwide in Whole Foods and major grocery chains. Closely mirrors Rick's Picks' flavor-led product strategy but at significantly larger scale and broader distribution.
- Wildbrine: Directly comparable: Wildbrine produces raw, organic fermented and pickled vegetables marketed through natural and specialty channels. Direct overlap in fermentation methodology, organic certification, and natural food retail distribution.
Broad incumbents
- Vlasic: Broad incumbent: Vlasic is the legacy mass-market pickle brand owned by Conagra, with national grocery distribution. Same product category but opposite price/positioning tier; relevant as a trade-down competitor and shelf benchmark.
- Mt. Olive Pickle Company: Broad incumbent: Mt. Olive is one of the largest U.S. pickle manufacturers with broad mainstream grocery distribution. Overlaps in pickle category but competes in mass-market tier, not the premium/artisan niche Rick's Picks occupies.
- Claussen: Broad incumbent: Claussen (Kraft Heinz) sells refrigerated pickles widely distributed in U.S. grocery. Same category and a brand consumers might consider alongside Rick's Picks for premium refrigerated pickle occasions.
Others
- Boar's Head: Adjacent reference point: Boar's Head is a privately held specialty food brand with premium positioning, multi-channel distribution (DTC, retail, food service), and a heritage brand story — structurally analogous as a founder-led premium CPG operator, though in deli rather than pickles.
- King's Hawaiian: Adjacent reference point: King's Hawaiian is a founder-led, family-owned CPG brand that scaled from local bakery origins into national distribution across grocery and club channels — a useful comparison for the founder-bootstrapped specialty CPG growth trajectory.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Rick's Picks social profiles
Digital presenceRick's Picks compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Rick's Picks financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Rick's Picks leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Rick's Picks funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Rick's Picks M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Rick's Picks
What does Rick's Picks do?
Rick's Picks manufactures and sells premium, 100% all-natural, naturally fermented pickles and vegetable ferments under its own brand. The portfolio spans jar-format pickles (Classic Sours, Hotties, Mean Beans, Phat Beets, Smokra, The People's Pickle), shelf-stable snacking pouches (Cumin-Lime Dill, Garlic-Dill), an organic collection, and curated jar bundles. Through Pickle Lab, the company also provides B2B food product innovation and flavor development services.
Is Rick's Picks a public or private company?
Rick's Picks is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Rick's Picks founded?
Rick's Picks was founded in 2004. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Rick's Picks based?
Rick's Picks is headquartered in Brooklyn, United States, in the North America region.
How does Rick's Picks make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Direct-to-Consumer E-commerce is the primary driver. The others are wholesale/Retail Distribution, food Service and B2B Product Development.
Who are Rick's Picks's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are McClure's Pickles, Cleveland Kitchen, Bubbies Pickles, Grillo's Pickles and Wildbrine. Broad incumbents are Vlasic, Mt. Olive Pickle Company and Claussen. Others are Boar's Head and King's Hawaiian.
Does Rick's Picks have an API?
No public API is recorded for Rick's Picks.
What industry is Rick's Picks in?
Rick's Picks's product category is Specialty Pickles & Fermented Foods. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAKAFAF, Fermented & Pickled Fruit & Vegetable Products (Pickles, Kimchi, Sauerkraut), with a secondary code of AFAKACAI, Pickled & Fermented Foods Manufacturing. Its NAICS code is 31142 and its SIC code is 2030.