The Brinery
The Brinery is an Ann Arbor-based artisanal producer of raw, unpasteurized lacto-fermented sauerkraut, kimchi, hot sauces, and small-batch tempeh, serving health-conscious consumers, vegetarians, and Midwest restaurants through DTC shipping, Whole Foods, Meijer, and regional food service distributors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersAnn Arbor, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What The Brinery does
The Brinery is a privately held, founder-led artisanal fermented foods producer founded in 2010 by David Klingenberger in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The company makes raw, unpasteurized, traditionally lacto-fermented sauerkraut (six varieties), vegan kimchi, fermented hot sauces, and small-batch tempeh, using sea salt brine and naturally occurring lactic bacteria rather than vinegar-based shortcuts. Production is anchored at the solar-powered Washtenaw Food Hub, where the company is the anchor tenant and processes over 200,000 lbs of vegetables annually sourced from a network of regional family farms including Tantre Farm, Wayward Seed Farm, Janie's Mill, Second Spring Farm, and Made By A Farmer.
The product line spans both consumer and foodservice formats: the Original Tempeh SKU targets retail while a 2 lb Food Service Tempeh loaf is sold through regional distributors to restaurants and institutions. Fermented vegetable SKUs (kraut, kimchi, hot sauce) ship raw and cold nationwide via the company's DTC online store with weekly Monday fulfillment, while tempeh is distributed through Whole Foods Midwest locations, select Meijer stores, independent Michigan retailers (Argus Farm Stop, People's Food Co-op, Sparrow Market), and a network of four regional food service distributors (Carmela Foods, Fortune Fish & Gourmet, Frog Holler Produce, and Maceri and Son).
Revenue is generated through three channels: direct-to-consumer e-commerce shipped nationwide, wholesale to retail grocery (premium and conventional), and food service distribution in the Midwest. The company does not disclose revenue, has no institutional or private equity ownership, and has not raised external funding rounds. Its strategy emphasizes local sourcing, traditional fermentation, raw living-cultured positioning, and small-batch production, with brand visibility supported by earned media coverage in Bon Appetit, Thrillist, and Hour Detroit.
The Brinery firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Brinery
- Legal name
- The Brinery
- Website
- https://thebrinery.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Brinery is an Ann Arbor-based artisanal producer of raw, unpasteurized lacto-fermented sauerkraut, kimchi, hot sauces, and small-batch tempeh, serving health-conscious consumers, vegetarians, and Midwest restaurants through DTC shipping, Whole Foods, Meijer, and regional food service distributors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Brinery industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Artisanal Fermented Foods
- NAICS
- Fruit and Vegetable Canning, Pickling, and Drying (31142)
- SIC
- Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fermented & Pickled Fruit & Vegetable Products (Pickles, Kimchi, Sauerkraut) (AFAKAFAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Dips, Salsas, Relishes & Chutneys Manufacturing (AFAKADAM)
Keywords
Where The Brinery is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ann Arbor
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Brinery business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Direct-to-Consumer Online Sales: Products sold directly through the company's online store, shipped nationwide to customers. Raw, unpasteurized products shipped cold.
- Wholesale to Retail: Products sold wholesale to grocery retailers including Whole Foods, Meijer, and independent Michigan stores.
- Food Service Distribution: Tempeh sold to restaurants and institutions through regional distributors in the Midwest (Carmela Foods, Fortune Fish & Gourmet, Frog Holler Produce, Maceri and Son).
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
The Brinery product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Brinery manufactures and sells raw, unpasteurized, traditionally lacto-fermented vegetable products and small-batch artisanal tempeh. Product lines include sauerkraut varieties, vegan kimchi, fermented hot sauces, and tempeh, made using sea salt brine and local family-farmed vegetables. Products are sold directly to consumers nationwide via online store, through retail grocery chains, and to restaurants via regional food service distributors.
Product overview
The Brinery is a fermented food company offering a portfolio of raw, unpasteurized, living cultured foods. The core product line includes six sauerkraut varieties (Fair 'n' By, Sea Stag, Storm Cloud Zapper, Stimulus Package, Galaxy Rose, and Dill Pickle), one vegan kimchi (Oh Gee Kimchi), three hot sauces (Sriracha, Aura Solanales, and Verde Solanales), and two tempeh products (Original Tempeh for retail and Food Service Tempeh for restaurants/institutions). All products use traditional lacto-fermentation methods with simple ingredients like sea salt brine and local produce from partner farms. The company ships nationwide for vegetable ferments while tempeh is available only in physical retail locations across Michigan.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Fair 'n' By Sauerkraut Flagship sauerkraut made with just green cabbage and sea salt, using traditional lacto-fermentation for a sturdy, simple, and crisp flavor profile. Sold to retail and individual consumers.
- Sea Stag Sauerkraut Sauerkraut featuring nutrient-dense seaweed, burdock root, and turmeric for a distinct flavor and rich golden color. Sold to retail and individual consumers.
- Storm Cloud Zapper Sauerkraut Beet-forward sauerkraut with fresh ginger root, highlighting the robust beet essence for beet lovers and beet-curious consumers. Sold to retail and individual consumers.
- Stimulus Package Sauerkraut The first kraut ever fermented at The Brinery, combining crisp cabbage with caraway seeds in a classic Old World style. Sold to retail and individual consumers.
- Galaxy Rose Sauerkraut Sauerkraut featuring red heart radish (watermelon radish) for a rosy glow, gentle bite, and hint of sweetness. Sold to retail and individual consumers.
- Dill Pickle Sauerkraut Sauerkraut combining the clean, fresh flavors of a classic dill pickle with fermented cabbage, featuring cucumber, fresh dill, and garlic. Sold to retail and individual consumers.
- Oh Gee Kimchi Vegan kimchi built on napa cabbage with hot pepper and ginger heat, balanced with garlic, onion, carrot, and apple. Sold to retail and individual consumers.
- Sriracha Hot Sauce Fermented hot sauce blending the richness of fermented garlic with fermented hot pepper mash, creating a slightly sweet and spicy sauce. Sold to retail and individual consumers.
- Aura Solanales Hot Sauce Traditionally fermented hot sauce capturing the warmth and flavors of sun-ripened peppers (red jalapeno, cayenne, cherry bomb, serrano, red fresno), medium hot. Sold to retail and individual consumers.
- Verde Solanales Hot Sauce Traditionally fermented hot sauce featuring green jalapeno peppers with citrusy and herbaceous complexity. Sold to retail and individual consumers.
- Original Tempeh (Retail) Artisanal tempeh made in small batches using organic, non-GMO soybeans from Janie's Mill in Illinois, fermented with Rhizopus oligosporus culture, frozen raw and unpasteurized for superior nutty flavor and meaty texture. Available for retail purchase.
- Food Service Tempeh 2 lb tempeh loaves (6 loaves per case) available for restaurants and institutions, characterized by savory, nutty flavor suitable for salads, roasts, sandwiches, stir fry, and more. Distributed through Carmela Foods, Fortune Fish & Gourmet, Frog Holler Produce, and Maceri and Son.
Quantifiable outcome
- 200,000+ lbs of local vegetables processed annually
Companies that use The Brinery
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
The Brinery technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
The Brinery partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Washtenaw Food HubcoreRichard Andres and Deb Lentz (founders of Tantre Farm) founded the Washtenaw Food Hub in 2014. The Brinery serves as the anchor tenant at this solar-powered facility.
- Tantre FarmcoreFounding partner where founder David Klingenberger made the first batch of sauerkraut in 2010 to preserve surplus cabbage. Tantre Farm has operated as an organic farm since 1993 with 300+ CSA shares. The farm's abundance of cabbage launched The Brinery's business.
- Made By A Farmerminor200-acre farm near Ann Arbor, MI that planted first crops in Spring 2019. Provides produce to The Brinery.
- Second Spring FarmminorCertified organic vegetable farm in Traverse City, MI founded by Reid Johnston. Provides cabbage, parsnips, and carrots annually, including ingredients for seasonal 'Up North Kraut'.
- Janie's MillcoreMulti-generational family farm in East Central Illinois supplying organic soybeans for The Brinery's tempeh products. Uses latest technology to raise organic food-grade grains.
- Wayward Seed FarmcoreFarm in Central Ohio providing heritage and heirloom vegetables. Supplies the majority of cabbage, beets, and certified organic hot peppers to The Brinery.
- Green Things Farm CollectiveminorMichigan farm collective providing produce to The Brinery.
- Goetz Greenhouse and Family FarmminorMichigan farm providing produce to The Brinery.
- Good Neighbor FarmminorMichigan farm providing produce to The Brinery.
- Seely FarmminorMichigan farm providing produce to The Brinery.
- Carmela FoodsminorMidwest distributor supplying The Brinery's tempeh products to restaurants and institutions.
- Fortune Fish & GourmetminorMidwest distributor supplying The Brinery's tempeh products to restaurants and institutions.
- Frog Holler ProduceminorMidwest distributor supplying The Brinery's tempeh products to restaurants and institutions.
- Maceri and SonminorMidwest distributor supplying The Brinery's tempeh products to restaurants and institutions.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Brinery competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Lightlife: Lightlife (owned by Maple Leaf Foods) is a national plant-based protein brand with a tempeh line, sold in mainstream grocery and food service. It is comparable as the broader plant-based / tempeh incumbent against which The Brinery's artisanal tempeh differentiates.
- Tofurky: Tofurky (Turtle Island Foods) is a large plant-based brand offering tempeh alongside other meat alternatives across natural and mainstream grocery. It is a broad incumbent peer that competes for the same plant-protein consumer at much larger scale.
Direct peers
- Real Pickles: Real Pickles is a worker-owned co-op producing raw, traditionally lacto-fermented vegetables in Massachusetts, distributed through natural grocery and D2C. It directly parallels The Brinery's farm-sourced, unpasteurized fermentation positioning.
- Ozuké: Ozuké produces small-batch, raw lacto-fermented vegetables and kimchi sold through natural grocery and D2C. It overlaps The Brinery's fermentation technology and health-conscious consumer segment as a smaller, similarly positioned competitor.
- Wildbrine: Wildbrine pioneered raw, probiotic-rich fermented vegetables (sauerkraut, kimchi, beets) in U.S. natural grocery and D2C. It is a directly comparable peer in product, format, and target consumer, even after its acquisition by a larger food company.
- Cleveland Kraut: Cleveland Kraut is an artisanal, small-batch sauerkraut brand sold in natural grocery and D2C channels nationwide. It is a near-direct competitor to The Brinery in raw, traditionally fermented kraut with overlapping product positioning and customer base.
- Mother-in-Law's Kimchi: Mother-in-Law's is an artisanal kimchi brand with national natural-grocery distribution and a strong D2C presence. It is a direct peer for The Brinery's vegan kimchi offering, targeting the same health-conscious, fermented-food consumer.
- Bubbies: Bubbies is a well-known brand of fermented pickles and fermented condiments sold in natural and conventional grocery nationwide. It overlaps The Brinery's lacto-fermented vegetable product line and competes for the same probiotic-conscious consumer.
- Farmhouse Culture: Farmhouse Culture built a national brand around raw, lacto-fermented sauerkraut and gut-health "gut shots," sold through Whole Foods and other natural retailers. It is highly comparable to The Brinery in product, positioning, and channel strategy.
Emerging players
- BAO Food & Drink: BAO Food & Drink is an emerging Korean-inspired fermented condiment brand (kimchi, gochujang, sauces) sold in natural grocery and D2C. It overlaps The Brinery's kimchi and hot sauce lines as a smaller, fast-growing adjacent player in fermented ethnic condiments.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Brinery social profiles
Digital presenceThe Brinery financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Brinery leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
The Brinery funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Brinery 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 The Brinery
What does The Brinery do?
The Brinery manufactures and sells raw, unpasteurized, traditionally lacto-fermented vegetable products and small-batch artisanal tempeh. Product lines include sauerkraut varieties, vegan kimchi, fermented hot sauces, and tempeh, made using sea salt brine and local family-farmed vegetables. Products are sold directly to consumers nationwide via online store, through retail grocery chains, and to restaurants via regional food service distributors.
Is The Brinery a public or private company?
The Brinery is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Brinery founded?
The Brinery was founded in 2010. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Brinery based?
The Brinery is headquartered in Ann Arbor, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Brinery make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Direct-to-Consumer Online Sales are the primary driver. The others are wholesale to Retail and food Service Distribution.
Who are The Brinery's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Lightlife and Tofurky. Direct peers are Real Pickles, Ozuké, Wildbrine, Cleveland Kraut, Mother-in-Law's Kimchi, Bubbies and Farmhouse Culture. BAO Food & Drink is listed as an emerging player.
Does The Brinery have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Brinery.
What industry is The Brinery in?
The Brinery's product category is Artisanal Fermented Foods. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAKAFAF, Fermented & Pickled Fruit & Vegetable Products (Pickles, Kimchi, Sauerkraut), with a secondary code of AFAKADAM, Dips, Salsas, Relishes & Chutneys Manufacturing. Its NAICS code is 31142 and its SIC code is 2030.