Who Does Kettle Fire Use for Warehousing & Fulfillment?

Kettle & Fire uses Shipfusion as their primary third-party logistics (3PL) and fulfillment partner.

Introduction to Kettle & Fire

Founded in 2015 by brothers Justin and Nick Mares, Kettle & Fire pioneered the shelf-stable bone broth market with products made from 100% grass-fed, grass-finished beef bones and organic, free-range chicken bones. The company has experienced remarkable growth, expanding from a small startup to a business generating more than $100 million in annual revenue. Their product line has evolved beyond their original bone broth offerings to include a variety of flavors, soups, and a regenerative line of broths that emphasize sustainable farming practices.

As the first-to-market and fastest-growing bone broth brand in the United States, Kettle & Fire has established itself as a leader in the food and beverage industry, particularly within the health and wellness segment. With their commitment to high-quality, nutrient-rich products, they've captured a dedicated consumer base looking for convenient ways to incorporate bone broth into their diets.

Why Kettle & Fire Needed to Optimize Fulfillment

As Kettle & Fire experienced rapid growth, their previous fulfillment infrastructure began showing significant limitations that threatened to impede their continued expansion. The company faced several critical challenges:

• Lack of inventory visibility made it difficult to effectively manage customer demand and ensure adequate stock levels
• Poor communication from their previous 3PL created friction and inefficiencies in operations
• No central portal for fulfillment automation, workflows, or notifications hampered operational efficiency
• Increasing freight costs due to suboptimal warehouse location (exclusively on the West Coast)
• Inability to support complex kitting needs for Amazon, a crucial sales channel

Furthermore, Kettle & Fire felt their relationship with the previous 3PL was merely transactional, requiring extensive "hand-holding" rather than providing strategic partnership. As a growing direct-to-consumer brand, they needed a logistics partner that could scale with them and provide more sophisticated fulfillment capabilities.

The Shipfusion Partnership and Results

Kettle & Fire turned to Shipfusion after another company owned by their founder had already experienced success with the 3PL provider. The partnership has delivered impressive results:

• 25% reduction in order turnaround time, enabling faster delivery to customers
• Significant reduction in shipping costs through strategic warehouse positioning
• Improved inventory accuracy with real-time updates and visibility
• Enhanced reporting and analytics for better business decision-making
• Substantial growth in both direct-to-consumer and Amazon FBA channels

These quantifiable improvements have allowed Kettle & Fire to focus on product development and marketing while trusting their logistics operations to a reliable partner. The strategic warehouse locations in Chicago and Las Vegas have optimized shipping routes, reducing both costs and delivery times for customers across the country.

The Shipfusion Solution

Shipfusion implemented a comprehensive suite of services and solutions tailored to address Kettle & Fire's specific challenges:

1. Real-time inventory visibility and advanced reporting - Providing Kettle & Fire with up-to-the-minute stock levels and actionable analytics through a centralized dashboard
2. Multiple strategic warehouse locations - Positioning inventory in Chicago and Las Vegas to minimize freight costs and expedite shipping nationwide
3. Complex kitting capabilities - Supporting specialized packaging requirements essential for Amazon marketplace success
4. Dedicated on-site Account Manager - Ensuring responsive communication and personalized support
5. True partnership approach - Aligning operations with Kettle & Fire's business goals rather than merely providing transactional services

Instead of treating Kettle & Fire as just another client, Shipfusion established a collaborative relationship that prioritized the brand's growth objectives. This approach transformed logistics from a challenge into a competitive advantage for Kettle & Fire.

Lessons for Other eCommerce Brands

The successful partnership between Kettle & Fire and Shipfusion offers valuable insights for other eCommerce brands looking to optimize their fulfillment operations:

• Strategic warehouse placement matters - Multiple fulfillment centers in key locations can dramatically reduce shipping costs and delivery times. Brands should evaluate their customer distribution and position inventory accordingly.
• Real-time visibility drives better decisions - Access to accurate, up-to-date inventory data allows for more responsive planning and reduced stockouts. Investing in systems that provide this visibility pays dividends in operational efficiency.
• Partnership trumps transactional relationships - Working with a 3PL that understands your business goals and aligns with your growth trajectory delivers better results than treating fulfillment as a commodity service.
• Specialized capabilities matter for multichannel sellers - For brands selling through both direct-to-consumer channels and marketplaces like Amazon, finding a 3PL with expertise in the specific requirements of each platform is crucial.

These lessons emphasize the importance of viewing order fulfillment not merely as a cost center but as a strategic component of your business that can drive growth when optimized properly.

Is Shipfusion Right for Your Business?

While Shipfusion proved to be an excellent match for Kettle & Fire, every eCommerce business has unique needs. Consider these factors when evaluating whether Shipfusion or another 3PL might be right for your operation:

• Product type and handling requirements - Food and beverage products like Kettle & Fire's bone broth have specific storage and handling needs. Ensure your 3PL has experience with your product category.
• Growth trajectory - Fast-growing brands need fulfillment partners that can scale quickly without sacrificing service quality.
• Sales channel mix - If you sell through multiple channels (DTC website, Amazon, retail), look for a 3PL with experience in all relevant platforms.
• Technology integration needs - Consider how a potential 3PL's systems will integrate with your existing eCommerce platform, warehouse management system, and other tools.
• Geographic footprint - Evaluate whether the 3PL's warehouse locations align with your customer concentration for optimal shipping efficiency.

For businesses looking to find the right fulfillment partner based on their specific needs, consider using a 3PL matchmaking service that can help identify providers with the right capabilities and experience.

Final Thoughts

Kettle & Fire's partnership with Shipfusion demonstrates how the right fulfillment strategy can transform logistics from a business constraint into a growth enabler. By addressing their specific challenges with tailored solutions, Shipfusion has helped Kettle & Fire reduce costs, improve customer experience, and scale their operations effectively.

For growing eCommerce brands, particularly those in the California-based food and beverage sector, finding a fulfillment partner that can provide both operational excellence and strategic guidance is essential. The relationship should extend beyond basic picking, packing, and shipping to encompass true collaboration focused on mutual success.

As Kettle & Fire continues its impressive growth trajectory, their partnership with Shipfusion serves as a compelling example of how optimized fulfillment can support brand expansion while maintaining service quality and operational efficiency.