Bare Bones Moves Beyond Bone Broth With Instant Creamer Launch

Bare Bones continues to try to redefine what a bone broth company can be.

After evolving from frozen to shelf-stable and instant bone broth offerings, Bare Bones has unveiled its latest pivot: SuperPowder collagen-enhanced instant creamer. The launch comes as the brand plans a further push into beverage products; with the ultimate goal to become a broadly recognized premium nutrition company.

Founded in 2013 by husband-and-wife duo Ryan and Katherine Harvey, Bare Bones first launched as a frozen bone broth brand before pivoting to shelf-stable products in 2018 and adding instant bone broth mixes last year. Now, the brand wants to launch products that lend themselves to additional use occasions and day parts. Recognizing that coffee was “probably one of the biggest daily rituals in America,” Ryan Harvey said the team looked to formulate a product that could add nutrition to this ritual, turning coffee into a “supercharged snack.” The new product is intended to appeal to consumers who want the nutritional benefits of bone broth but don’t necessarily want a savory beverage.

“It’s about finding a way to meet people’s nutrient nutritional needs and desires in a way that makes sense to them and that they can enjoy,” Katherine Harvey said.

With 20 grams of bovine collagen, The SuperPowder instant creamer contains eight grams of protein, five grams of prebiotic fiber and 60 calories per serving, and is sweetened with allulose and monk fruit. The product is currently available on the brand’s website and Amazon in 10-packs for $24.99. While the brand is currently looking for potential retail opportunities for the product, Katherine said they’re “not in a hurry,” as the brand’s online sales have seen a boost amid COVID-19.

The expansion into other categories came as the brand continues to seek growth from a product rather than a flavor standpoint. Bare Bones had always considered itself a nutrition brand, rather than a soup or broth brand, Ryan Harvey added, but was just waiting for “the right timing” to expand its offerings. Though it wasn’t intended at the time, Katherine Harvey said, the instant bone broth beverage mixes became a bridge to other instant products. Now, Bare Bones plans to continue to push into the beverage market with future launches, noting that a lot of consumers have “missed opportunities to nourish themselves” in the liquids they’re consuming that don’t offer any essential nutrients.

“We’re a nutrition company, but we’re also going to be tastemakers, pushing the limits on taste and really creating products that are rich and flavorful,” Ryan said. “As well as delivering nutrition you’d expect from a supplement, but delivering it at a price point that is more in the realm of food.”

As it gears up to expand into different products and use occasions, the Harveys will use lessons learned from the brand’s previous innovations. Having evolved its product line over the years, they say they have learned a lot about adapting products to fit consumers’ needs. Still, quality has remained a cornerstone of the brand’s innovation pipeline. When the brand first launched frozen bone broth, Katherine Harvey said they originally “didn’t believe you could make a high quality premium bone broth shelf-stable without sacrificing the nutritional properties,” but eventually learned of technology that would allow them to maintain the product’s functional benefits while also moving into center store.

“I think we’ve learned a lot in terms of what technology is available to make nutritious foods in all kinds of temperature states and packaging form factors,” Katherine said.

Making its products less perishable and more sustainable not only allowed the brand to lower costs, but also made them easier for consumers to transport and consume. Consumer response revealed that “convenience is a big deal,” Katherine Harvey noted, and that packaging can ultimately serve as a differentiator “even if the product inside is almost identical to a competitor’s product.”

“The category’s ability to grow relies on having more affordable, more convenient options,” Ryan Harvey said. “It pretty much required and demanded that [bone broth] would evolve into shelf-stable products or powdered products.”

Amid the expansion beyond bone broth, the brand is also making another big move: across the country. Leaning into the remote working structure many have adopted during the pandemic, the Harveys have closed Bare Bones’ San Diego office and next week are relocating to Ohio to be closer to family. While many of its employees were already remote workers before the pandemic, Katherine said the entire Bare Bones team will now be permanently working remotely.

“It’s encouraging to see that other brands have really successfully done remote,” Katherine said. “We’re excited to be able to sort of pioneer the movement.”