Firefly Farm, Llc

What Firefly Farm, Llc does

Firefly Farm, LLC, operating as Firefly Grill, is a privately held farm-to-table restaurant founded by chef Niall Campbell and Kristie Campbell in Effingham, Illinois. The company operates a single full-service roadhouse restaurant at 1810 Avenue of Mid-America, supported by an on-site farm (Firefly Farm) that grows mint, vegetables, herbs, and flowers using no pesticides, herbicides, or synthetic fertilizers, with pond-based irrigation. The restaurant sources additional ingredients from a curated network of local artisan farmers and foragers (Cahokia Rice, Marcoot Creamery, Tegeler Sweet Corn, Smoking Goose Meatery, Zero Acre Farms, Green Pastures, and others), and the building itself was constructed with sustainable materials including a recycled steel frame, reclaimed barn wood, and chairs recycled from the Hard Rock in Manhattan.

The product offering centers on dine-in service (lunch Tuesday–Saturday 11am–3pm, dinner daily 3pm–9pm or 10pm on Fri/Sat, and Sunday brunch 10am–3pm) with an exhibition kitchen, an American seasonal menu priced from $6 to $93 per dish and beverages up to $375 per bottle. The company monetizes across four revenue streams: dine-in restaurant sales (with a 3% hospitality contribution added to all checks), private event hosting across six configurable spaces ranging from 12 to 500 guests, off-site catering, and online ordering / e-gift card sales through Toast Tab, with reservations managed via OpenTable. The customer base is split between general local diners seeking farm-to-table experiences, private event hosts (weddings, corporate dinners, showers), and families with children.

The business operates with 11–50 employees, uses Toast Tab as its POS/ordering backbone, OpenTable for reservations, and BentoBox for its website. Distribution is entirely single-site in Illinois, with no disclosed geographic expansion, no outside funding rounds, no parent company, and founder ownership retained. The company was recognized by Restaurant Guru in 2025 as a Top 10 best restaurant in Effingham.

Name

Firefly Farm, Llc

Legal name

Firefly Farm, LLC

Website

https://ffgrill.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Firefly Farm, LLC (dba Firefly Grill) is a privately held farm-to-table restaurant in Effingham, Illinois, founded by Niall and Kristie Campbell. It operates an on-site farm supplying the kitchen and serves dine-in guests, private events across six venues (12–500 guests), catering, and online orders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Farm-to-Table Restaurant

NAICS

Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251)

akta.pro primary industry

Farm-to-Table & Agritourism Dining Experiences (Farm Visits, Harvest Meals) (THAJAGAK)

Keywords

• Farm-to-table restaurant
• Private event venue
• Locally sourced dining
• Off-site catering
• On-site farm produce

Headquarters

HQ city

Effingham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Dine-in Restaurant Sales: Full-service restaurant revenue from lunch, dinner, brunch, and dessert menus. Covers food and beverage sales including cocktails, wine, beer, coffee, and non-alcoholic beverages. A 3% hospitality contribution is added to all checks as revenue share for team members who do not regularly receive tips.
2. Private Event Hosting: Revenue from hosting private events including weddings, corporate dinners, baby showers, birthdays, and lakeside celebrations. Event spaces available for booking with catering options ranging from plated meals to family-style or buffet settings.
3. Online Ordering and Takeout: Online ordering through Toast Tab platform for takeout orders.
4. Gift Cards: E-gift cards sold through Toast Tab platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Firefly Grill is a modern farm-and-table restaurant in Effingham, Illinois that operates an on-site farm (Firefly Farm) to supply fresh produce, herbs, and vegetables for its kitchen. The restaurant offers dine-in service across lunch, dinner, and brunch menus, plus private event hosting, off-site catering, online takeout ordering, and gift card sales.

Product overview

Firefly Grill is a modern farm-and-table restaurant operating as a single unified concept with multiple service offerings. The core product is the restaurant itself, featuring an on-site farm operation (Firefly Farm) that supplies fresh produce grown sustainably without pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. The restaurant offers dine-in service, private events hosting across six distinct event spaces (ranging from 12 to 500 guests), catering services, online ordering for takeout, and gift cards. The dining experience is characterized by seasonal American cuisine, exhibition kitchen, lakeside setting, and partnerships with local artisan farmers and producers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Firefly Grill Restaurant

Quantifiable outcome

• Restaurant named top 10 best restaurant in Effingham by Restaurant Guru 2025

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

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Cahokia RiceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal ingredient supplier providing rice products to Firefly Grill as part of the restaurant's commitment to sourcing from local artisan farmers.
• Foods In SeasonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal supplier partner providing seasonally appropriate ingredients following Firefly's farm-to-table philosophy.
• John Boos & CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal supplier partner providing culinary equipment and products.
• Marcoot CreameryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArtisan Jersey creamery providing specialty cheeses for Firefly's menu, including cave-aged gouda used in charcuterie boards.
• Purely Meat Co.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal meat supplier providing quality proteins for Firefly's menu.
• Tegeler Sweet CornminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal farmer providing sweet corn used in various menu items including Tegeler Sweet Corn salsa and Tegeler Sweet Corn puree.
• Smoking Goose MeateryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArtisan meat provider supplying Capocollo, salami, and other cured meats for Firefly's charcuterie and muffuletta sandwiches.
• Zero Acre FarmsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSustainable food company providing alternative oils used in Firefly's commitment to using only butter, Organic Ferafruit, Zero Acre, coconut, olive, and avocado oils.
• Rolling Lawns Farm CreameryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal creamery providing cream for Sweet Corn Chowder and milk for milkshakes and ice cream.
• Little Creek FarmminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal farm providing eggs used in brunch dishes including Pork Belly Hash and Shrimp Cake Benedict.
• Joe SippersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal cafe in downtown Effingham that roasts Firefly's custom 'El Jefe' blend coffee, sourced from South and Central America.
• Alwerdt's GardensminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner providing specialty produce and plant products.
• Green PasturesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal farm providing microgreens used in various entrees and salads.
• Zimmermann'sminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner supplier supporting Firefly's sustainable sourcing network.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Founding Farmers: Multi-location farm-to-table restaurant group with a sourcing network of family-owned American farms. Comparable farm-to-table philosophy and local-sourcing narrative, but operates at broader scale and as a restaurant group rather than a single farm-anchored property.
• Sweetgreen: Large-scale farm-focused restaurant chain built around sourcing from local and regional farms. Comparable farm-sourcing narrative, but operates at national scale in a fast-casual format very different from Firefly's full-service dining and event model.

Direct peers

• Blue Hill at Stone Barns: Iconic farm-to-table restaurant operating on the Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture in Pocantico Hills, NY. Directly comparable concept — fine-dining restaurant sourcing from an on-site farm with sustainability philosophy and chef-driven narrative.
• The Inn at Little Washington: Destination farm-to-table restaurant and inn in Washington, VA. Comparable as a high-end regional restaurant emphasizing local sourcing, chef-driven cuisine, and premium pricing in a secondary-market location.
• Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards: Virginia farm property combining vineyards, gardens, a farm-to-table restaurant, and event spaces (weddings, private events). Directly comparable business model of farm + restaurant + event hosting with local sourcing focus.
• Heron Farm & Event Center: Farm property combining on-site produce, event hosting, and dining experiences. Comparable integrated farm + events + dining model emphasizing local sourcing and sustainable practices.
• The Barn at Blackberry Creek: Farm-anchored wedding and private event venue with on-site gardens and farm aesthetic. Comparable event-hosting-plus-farm positioning, though without the dine-in restaurant component Firefly operates.

Regional players

• Niche Restaurant Group: St. Louis-area farm-to-table restaurant operator led by a recognized chef, with a focus on local sourcing and sustainability. Comparable farm-to-table philosophy in a different regional market than Firefly.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UClf79I1Rr-hB1vPzzuRaZ_g
• Facebookfacebook.com/ffgrill
• Instagraminstagram.com/firefly_grill
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/firefly-grill

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

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 Firefly Farm, Llc