The Fish & Bone
The Fish & Bone is an independent, bootstrapped specialty pet retailer operating stores in Portland, ME and Boston, MA, plus a Shopify e-commerce site, serving dog and cat owners with curated raw and natural pet foods and its own FISH & BONE accessories brand.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2000
- HeadquartersPortland, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Fish & Bone does
The Fish & Bone is an independent specialty pet supplies retailer founded in 2000 and headquartered in Portland, Maine, with a second store in Boston, Massachusetts. The company serves dog and cat owners seeking premium, natural, and raw pet nutrition, stocking a curated assortment of more than ten third-party raw pet food brands including OC Raw, Stella & Chewy's, and Primal, alongside its own-label FISH & BONE accessories brand. Its core operations span two physical retail locations, a Shopify-based e-commerce site, a subscription service, the Astro loyalty program, and same-day local delivery within Portland.
The business model is omnichannel retail: revenue is generated through in-store sales, online purchases, recurring subscriptions, and incremental services such as same-day delivery, with margin enhancement from the proprietary FISH & BONE accessories line. Customer relationships are direct-to-consumer and long-tailed, with no disclosed enterprise or B2B contracts.
The Fish & Bone is privately held and bootstrapped, operating with 1-10 employees and no institutional investment. Its strategic positioning relies on deep curation within the raw pet nutrition niche, multi-channel convenience, and a 25-year operating history that has earned it a Portland Best of 2025 award.
The Fish & Bone firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Fish & Bone
- Legal name
- The Fish & Bone
- Website
- https://thefishandbone.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2000
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Fish & Bone is an independent, bootstrapped specialty pet retailer operating stores in Portland, ME and Boston, MA, plus a Shopify e-commerce site, serving dog and cat owners with curated raw and natural pet foods and its own FISH & BONE accessories brand.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Fish & Bone industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Pet Supplies Retail
- NAICS
- Pet and Pet Supplies Retailers (459910)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Pet Supplies Omnichannel (CRAFAEAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Pet Supplies Inventory-led Online Retailers (CRAFADAH), Pet Health & Wellness Retail (Supplements, OTC, Flea/Tick) (CRALAHAC), Pet Apparel & Accessories Retail (Leashes, Collars, Clothing) (CRALAHAM), Pet Bedding, Crates & Carriers Retail (CRALAHAF)
Keywords
Where The Fish & Bone is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Portland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
The Fish & Bone business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Retail Product Sales: Physical retail and e-commerce sales of premium pet food, treats, toys, accessories, and health products for dogs, cats, and humans.
- Subscription Services: Manageable subscription services for recurring deliveries of pet supplies through their subscription program.
- Gift Cards: Sale of gift cards in various denominations for gifting purposes.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual product pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
The Fish & Bone product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Fish & Bone is an independent specialty pet supplies retailer that sells premium, natural, and raw pet food, treats, health products, toys, accessories, and supplies for dogs and cats, alongside a small line of pet-themed human merchandise. The company operates two physical stores in Portland, Maine and Boston, Massachusetts, and an own-brand e-commerce site offering nationwide shipping, same-day local delivery in the Portland metro, curbside pickup, recurring subscriptions, and a points-based loyalty rewards program.
Product overview
The Fish & Bone is a specialty pet supply retailer offering a comprehensive portfolio of products and services for dogs, cats, and their owners. The core offering centers on premium and specialty pet foods including extensive raw, freeze-dried, dehydrated, air-dried, gently cooked, wet, and dry food options for both dogs and cats. The company carries multiple third-party raw pet food brands (OC Raw, Primal Pet Foods, Stella & Chewy's, Northwest Naturals, Oma's Pride, Smallbatch, Savage Cat, Answers, Vital Essentials, Tucker's Raw, Steve's Real Food) alongside its own proprietary Fish & Bone brand products. Beyond food, the portfolio spans health supplements, toys, fashion/accessories, dinnerware, bedding, collars/leashes, safety gear, training supplies, travel products, and grooming items organized by pet type and category. The company operates brick-and-mortar stores in Portland, Maine (5 India Street) and Boston, MA, supported by an e-commerce platform offering same-day local delivery, subscription services, and an Astro Loyalty rewards program. Educational content is provided through the Pet Wisdom & Whiskers blog covering pet health, nutrition, and wellness topics.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Premium Dog Food (Air-Dried, Freeze-Dried Raw, Frozen Raw, Dehydrated, Gently Cooked, Dry, Wet, Boosters)
Companies that use The Fish & Bone
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Fish & Bone technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Fish & Bone partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- OC RawcorePremium raw pet food brand for dogs and cats. Family-owned California company offering frozen and freeze-dried raw diets in multiple protein options. Fish & Bone serves as retail distributor for OC Raw products.
- Stella & Chewy'scorePremium raw pet food brand founded in 2003, known for freeze-dried raw patties and meal mixers. Offers complete and balanced formulas for dogs and cats meeting AAFCO standards.
- Primal Pet FoodscoreRaw pet nutrition company founded in 2001, offering frozen raw patties, freeze-dried nuggets, raw toppers, and meaty bones for dogs and cats.
- Northwest NaturalscoreRaw pet food brand launched in 2004 as pet food division of Morasch Meats, a USDA-inspected family-run meat processing company.
- Vital EssentialscoreRaw pet food brand founded in 2009 by Carnivore Meat Company in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Known for butcher-quality raw nutrition standards.
- Steve's Real FoodcoreOne of the original raw pet food companies in the U.S., founded in 1998. Pioneer in practical raw feeding for dogs and cats.
- Oma's PridecoreFourth-generation family business with roots in meat and butchering industry dating back to 1860s. Raw feeding company based in the U.S.
- Savage CatcoreRaw cat food company founded in California by passionate cat advocates. Specializes in raw diets specifically formulated for cats.
- Answers Pet FoodcoreFermented frozen raw pet food company founded in Pennsylvania by former industry professionals and holistic pet advocates.
- SmallbatchminorSmall-batch, farm-sourced raw pet food company founded in San Francisco Bay Area by pet parents.
- Tucker's Raw Pet FoodminorScience-driven and family-run raw pet food brand, store favorite known for natural, biologically appropriate diets.
- Animal Rescue League of BostonminorNon-profit animal welfare organization partnered for cat food donation drives and shelter animal support programs.
- Pittie PosseminorAnimal rescue organization for which Fish & Bone conducts food donation drives and delivers supplies.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
The Fish & Bone competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Wag N' Wash Natural Pet Food & Grooming: Specialty pet retailer combining natural pet food retail with grooming and self-wash services. Comparable omnichannel specialty assortment and community-focused brand building, although with services layered into the model.
- Pet People: Independent neighborhood pet supply chain carrying premium foods, holistic nutrition, and natural pet care items. Comparable curated assortment strategy and emphasis on knowledgeable staff advice at the store level.
- Mud Bay: Pacific Northwest-based pet retailer specializing in natural, healthy pet food and supplies with multiple store locations. Highly comparable to The Fish & Bone in product philosophy, regional concentration, and emphasis on premium nutrition expertise.
- Hollywood Feed: Regional specialty pet retailer founded in 1950 with a strong focus on natural, raw, and premium pet nutrition across multiple stores. Closely comparable to The Fish & Bone in assortment curation, premium/raw food emphasis, and community-driven local retail model.
- Kriser's Natural Pet: Independent pet retail chain (historically) emphasizing natural, raw, and premium pet foods with grooming services. Comparable assortment mix of premium/raw nutrition and lifestyle pet supplies.
- Natural Pawz: Specialty pet retailer focused on natural, grain-free, and holistic pet food and supplies across multiple locations in Texas and beyond. Directly comparable in raw/natural food positioning and small-format neighborhood retail model.
- Bentley Pet Stuff: Independent pet retailer carrying natural, holistic, and raw pet food brands across multiple U.S. locations. Comparable in assortment positioning toward premium and raw pet nutrition with strong staff expertise.
Broad incumbents
- PetSmart: Largest specialty pet retailer in North America with broad assortment including premium and natural pet food brands. Competes broadly across virtually every Fish & Bone category at much greater scale.
- Pet Supplies Plus: Largest independent pet retail franchise in the U.S. with hundreds of neighborhood stores. Broader incumbent competing in the same pet supplies category with wider assortment and significantly greater scale.
- Chewy: Largest online pet supplies retailer in the U.S. offering autoship subscriptions and broad premium pet food assortment. Competes with Fish & Bone in the same product categories via nationwide e-commerce and subscription.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Fish & Bone social profiles
Digital presenceThe Fish & Bone financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Fish & Bone leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
The Fish & Bone funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Fish & Bone 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 Fish & Bone
What does The Fish & Bone do?
The Fish & Bone is an independent specialty pet supplies retailer that sells premium, natural, and raw pet food, treats, health products, toys, accessories, and supplies for dogs and cats, alongside a small line of pet-themed human merchandise. The company operates two physical stores in Portland, Maine and Boston, Massachusetts, and an own-brand e-commerce site offering nationwide shipping, same-day local delivery in the Portland metro, curbside pickup, recurring subscriptions, and a points-based loyalty rewards program.
Is The Fish & Bone a public or private company?
The Fish & Bone is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Fish & Bone founded?
The Fish & Bone was founded in 2000. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Fish & Bone based?
The Fish & Bone is headquartered in Portland, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Fish & Bone make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Retail Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are subscription Services and gift Cards.
Who are The Fish & Bone's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Wag N' Wash Natural Pet Food & Grooming, Pet People, Mud Bay, Hollywood Feed, Kriser's Natural Pet, Natural Pawz and Bentley Pet Stuff. Broad incumbents are PetSmart, Pet Supplies Plus and Chewy.
Does The Fish & Bone have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Fish & Bone.
What industry is The Fish & Bone in?
The Fish & Bone's product category is Pet Supplies Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAFAEAJ, Pet Supplies Omnichannel, with a secondary code of CRAFADAH, Pet Supplies Inventory-led Online Retailers. Its NAICS code is 459910.