A Flavorful Journey from Chef’s Vision to Market Leader

Founded by chef Ryan Harvey in 2014, Bare Bones Broth began as a small kitchen startup with a clear mission: crafting nutrient-rich bone broths made from clean ingredients. The company quickly gained a dedicated customer base, evolving from fresh and frozen offerings into shelf-stable broths and introducing an instant broth line in 2019. Today, the brand successfully sells through Amazon, Shopify, and leading national retailers, including Costco and Whole Foods, positioning itself as a major innovator in the health-food market.

As the brand expanded rapidly, so did its financial complexity, prompting Bare Bones to seek flexible financial solutions to fuel their continued growth.

First Taste of Success with Settle

In its crucial early growth years, Bare Bones Broth partnered with Settle, experiencing firsthand the ease and flexibility that Settle’s financing solutions offered.

Settle was there at a good time for us. They were gracious, supportive, and flexible—even when our cash flow got tight.

The Challenges of Traditional Banking and Accounts Payable Management

As Bare Bones Broth scaled, they transitioned to a traditional banking partner, expecting streamlined financial operations. However, this move led to significant operational and financial challenges:

• Unexpected Banking Costs: Hidden fees and minimum interest charges created an annual burden of approximately $90,000—even during months when financing wasn’t actively utilized.
• Operational Complexity: Traditional banking involved extensive paperwork, multiple portals, frequent audits, and manual reconciliation, significantly draining internal resources.
• Frustrating Accounts Payable Systems: The company's previous accounts payable system frequently interrupted workflows, causing lost progress and requiring constant re-login. Limited flexibility for managing invoices, splitting costs across multiple GL accounts, and cumbersome vendor communications made the system a constant source of frustration. Robert described the challenge clearly:

Our previous accounts payable system caused constant frustration—interruptions meant losing work, and managing vendor emails or splitting invoices across multiple accounts was difficult. Settle changed everything; it simplified our AP process and reduced hours of tedious admin tasks every month.

Facing these compounding challenges, Bare Bones recognized the need for a simpler, more transparent solution.

Returning to Simplicity and Financial Control with Settle

Bare Bones Broth swiftly returned to Settle, immediately benefiting from significant operational and financial improvements:

• Operational Efficiency: Settle’s intuitive platform streamlined accounts payable processes and seamlessly integrated with QuickBooks, eliminating manual reconciliation and providing robust vendor management tools.
• Immediate and Significant Cost Savings: Switching back to Settle removed hidden banking fees and minimum interest charges, saving approximately $90,000 annually and freeing up over 24 hours each month in administrative tasks.
• Flexible, Transparent Financing: Settle’s clear and flexible financing terms provided essential liquidity exactly when needed, allowing Bare Bones to confidently fulfill large retail orders without tying up valuable working capital.

Robert succinctly captures the direct impact:

Settle saves us about $90,000 a year and more than 24 hours each month. That’s capital and time we can now redirect toward strategic growth.

Strategic Financial Flexibility with Settle

Currently, Bare Bones Broth maintains a stable cash position, yet Robert emphasizes the strategic importance of retaining Settle as their financing partner:

Settle provides the peace of mind of having quick, flexible capital available exactly when we need it, especially for significant retail opportunities. That flexibility is invaluable.

Accelerating Innovation and Retail Growth

Settle’s reliable financing allowed Bare Bones Broth to confidently expand beyond broth into innovative drink mixes, recently launching new products and securing substantial orders from major retailers. With financial flexibility from Settle, the team can continually invest in new product lines and strategic marketing, fueling ongoing business growth.

The Road Ahead

With Settle as their financial partner, Bare Bones Broth continues to confidently pursue growth and innovation. The flexibility and transparency of Settle’s financing ensure the brand can capitalize on new opportunities swiftly, maintaining steady cash flow without giving up equity.

Robert enthusiastically recommends Settle to other founders:

“I’m now a Settle evangelist—I recommend them to every founder I talk to.”

Ready to accelerate your growth? Discover how Settle’s flexible financing can empower your business.