Take Stock (The Bone Broth Company) Re-brands To ‘Freja Foods’

Take Stock (the husband-and-wife-led start-up – the Great Taste Award-winning bone broth brand) has made the bold decision to re-brand itself to ‘Freja Foods.’

The founders (Jessica Higgins and Ed Armitage) have taken this step to embrace their Scandinavian roots, and to reinforce their position as a category-disrupting bone broth in the UK. With bone broth gaining increasing awareness and popularity, the timing couldn’t be better for this strategic move.

Despite its soaring success, with a turnover of just under £1 million in Q1, and a remarkable 250% year-on-year growth, the founders recognized the need for a major change. One of the significant achievements of Take Stock was being the first direct-to-consumer bone broth brand in Europe, and their success story has gone from strength-to-strength ever since.

The brand has won multiple awards, including StartUp Awards’ StartUp of the Year, and the prestigious Great Taste Awards. Their products have received thousands of 5-star reviews, with endorsements from well-known personalities, such as Davina McCall, Lisa Snowdon, and Andi Peters.

The decision to rebrand raises questions about why such a change was necessary, when the business was already flourishing. “This project has been over a year in the making, and it’s been a labour of love for myself, Jessica, and the team. The business has been called Freja internally for ages,” explained Ed.

The change from Take Stock to Freja allows the company to stand out in a market that’s flooded with similar names containing “broth,” “stock,” or “bone.” The founders realised that their current name had limitations, especially when it came to expanding to other languages and territories.

Freja, pronounced the same as Freya, not only reflects the Founder’s Nordic heritage, but it also embodies the qualities they wish to associate with their modern nutrition brand. The name pays homage to the Norse goddess of fertility, and it holds a personal connection, as the favourite name of their niece.

Freja makes 100% natural, gourmet bone-broths, that are packed with flavour, collagen and protein.

By using fresh, responsibly-sourced, high-quality ingredients that are simply-cooked, Freja is taking a stand against factory processed Frankenfoods – with its versatile and conveniently packaged broths. The broth is prepared in small batches – using traditional methods and natural ingredients, for a delicious broth that’s packed with flavour.

Carefully sourced, meaty bones are first roasted in a hot oven (to enhance its rich flavour), herbs and vegetables are added and intensely simmered in a slow cooker for up to 24 hours (to extract maximum flavour and nutrients), and the broth is then strained (to leave a clear liquid).

Available in four varieties, customers can choose from Chicken Bone Broth (a deep and hearty collagen bomb), Beef Bone Broth (a sustainable and nutritious taste of the sea), Fish Bone Broth, and a delicate and herby Vegan Broth.

Freja gently pasteurises the bone broth to ensure that it remains shelf stable for up to two years. This low intervention production method delivers a deep, rich, and authentic broth – which tastes as if it was made at home, but in a convenient store-cupboard staple.

Freja sources and produces in partnership with family-run farms in Norway.

The beef is grass-fed, the chickens are raised without antibiotics, NO hormones or GMO feeds are used, and the fish is sustainably sourced from the Norwegian sea. The products are store-cupboard friendly, with a 24-month shelf life. They’re easy-pour, resealable cartons – that can keep in the fridge for 3-4 days once opened.

Jessica Higgins, and her husband Ed Armitage (who previously worked in private equity – specialising in consumer research, and e-commerce) grew up with bone broth (with fond memories of her mum simmering leftovers from the Sunday roast). Jess began to research the nutritional side of bone broth – after developing a serious gym habit, and after becoming engaged in nutrition.

During lock-down’s home-schooling hell, Jess no longer had the time to make her favourite bone broth(s), which inspired the husband-and-wife to search for a quick-and-easy solution. The result? They failed to find a commercially-available bone broth on the market. This was the start of the Freja business.

They tried dozens of recipes and stocks and broths, but “nothing was as good as homemade.”

“Freja was born out of our passion for the simplicity and nourishing benefits of quality bone broth. We love the taste and health effects of consuming bone broth, but with four children and busy jobs, we were always short on time, without hours to simmer bones to feed our greedy crew,” concluded Jessica Higgins.

Find out more here: https://frejafoods.com