The Fish & Bone

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.

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

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

• Premium pet food
• Raw pet nutrition
• Pet supplies retail
• Dog and cat products
• Natural pet store

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retail Product Sales: Physical retail and e-commerce sales of premium pet food, treats, toys, accessories, and health products for dogs, cats, and humans.
2. Subscription Services: Manageable subscription services for recurring deliveries of pet supplies through their subscription program.
3. Gift Cards: Sale of gift cards in various denominations for gifting purposes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core 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)

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• OC RawcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPremium 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'scoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPremium 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 FoodscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRaw pet nutrition company founded in 2001, offering frozen raw patties, freeze-dried nuggets, raw toppers, and meaty bones for dogs and cats.
• Northwest NaturalscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRaw pet food brand launched in 2004 as pet food division of Morasch Meats, a USDA-inspected family-run meat processing company.
• Vital EssentialscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRaw pet food brand founded in 2009 by Carnivore Meat Company in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Known for butcher-quality raw nutrition standards.
• Steve's Real FoodcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOne 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 PridecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFourth-generation family business with roots in meat and butchering industry dating back to 1860s. Raw feeding company based in the U.S.
• Savage CatcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRaw cat food company founded in California by passionate cat advocates. Specializes in raw diets specifically formulated for cats.
• Answers Pet FoodcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFermented frozen raw pet food company founded in Pennsylvania by former industry professionals and holistic pet advocates.
• SmallbatchminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSmall-batch, farm-sourced raw pet food company founded in San Francisco Bay Area by pet parents.
• Tucker's Raw Pet FoodminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorScience-driven and family-run raw pet food brand, store favorite known for natural, biologically appropriate diets.
• Animal Rescue League of BostonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit animal welfare organization partnered for cat food donation drives and shelter animal support programs.
• Pittie PosseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnimal rescue organization for which Fish & Bone conducts food donation drives and delivers supplies.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct 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

• Xx.com/thefishandbone
• Facebookfacebook.com/FishandBonePortland

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 The Fish & Bone