Why The Fastest-Growing Bone Broth Brand Is Committing To Regenerative Farming

With news of Epicurious banning beef recipes and other legendary dining establishments like Eleven Madison Park ditching animal products on their menus, the anti-meat movement is gaining steam. But Justin Mares, CEO of rapidly-growing bone broth company Kettle & Fire, has a different take on the issue.

Each of Kettle & Fire’s organic bone broths is made with 100% grass-fed, grass-finished, free range or pasture-raised bones. Slow-simmered for at least 14 hours, the nutrient-rich broths are excellent sources of collagen, protein and other key vitamins and nutrients. And as of today, the company is introducing its first line of bone broths made with bones sourced exclusively from regenerative farms.

Passionate about creating a more sustainable food system, Mares has become an expert on regenerative agriculture — an alternative approach to farming that can balance our climate, replenish our vast water supplies, and feed the world in a sustainable way. One of Kettle & Fire’s partners is Cooks Venture, a poultry farm in Northwest Arkansas that has adopted methods to help sequester atmospheric carbon, reduce emissions, and increase biodiversity by planting trees and perennials and employing no-till agricultural techniques.

Mares has consumed a Paleo diet for a decade. Back in 2015, when he started Kettle & Fire, he was looking for foods to help with gut and joint health. Simultaneously, his brother and cofounder Nick Mares had “torn everything in his knee playing soccer” and was looking for foods that could help with his recovery. But they couldn’t find any convenient, high-quality bone broth options online or at grocery stores. Hence the company was born.

“It’s incredibly rewarding to know that we’ve created a product that is making a positive impact on peoples’ lives and the environment,” says Justin Mares. “Health in the U.S. is at an all-time low. Healthcare costs are rising, and we’re getting sicker as a country. A core reason for that is that when the average consumer engages with our food system, they eat something that makes them feel worse. We want to make products that make people feel better and help, rather than cause harm. With the launch of Kettle & Fire’s regenerative bone broth, we are also supporting those who are working to rehabilitate the health of our soil. We hope to build consumer demand for more sustainably produced products and help scale the adoption of regenerative agricultural practices across our industry.”

It has been a huge challenge working to create a more sustainable food system, Mares says, “but it’s all worth it.” In addition to supporting regenerative farming, Kettle & Fire has partnered with The Steward Foundation, a not-for-profit that provides grants to select American livestock ranchers working to put more acres under regenerative practice.

When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, Kettle & Fire saw an increase in demand due to people staying home, cooking more, and wanting more than ever to keep healthy. The company was able to manage a “crazy spike in demand relatively well,” Mares reports.

While working at a six-figure job, Mares tested the idea that would become Kettle & Fire: a business that now does well north of eight figures a year. To aspiring entrepreneurs, he says, “If you have a strong perspective on how the world should work, you can almost certainly start a company to build the idea. I tend to like Jeff Bezos’ regret minimization framework: when you’re 80 and looking back on your life, what will you regret not doing? Go try and do that. There’s never been more money and resources to make it possible for you to start a business or make a career change.”