British Bone Broth Brand Freja Thrives Despite 'Caveman' Connotations
Jessica Leather adores bone broth, but she wishes it had a different name. 'The crux is that the word "bone" is off-putting,' she explains. For many people, it conjures images of a caveman gnawing on animal parts. With a slight sigh, Leather notes that Americans were the first to market the liquid commercially, and that's what they called it. So, bone broth it remains.
From Legal Career to Broth Empire
Leather, 47, is the co-founder of Freja, a British-based company selling £7 cartons of bone broth among other products. The former lawyer, who grew up in a home where her nutrition-obsessed father drank 'broad-bean smoothies', launched the business with her husband, Ed Armitage, in 2020. Armitage, with an e-commerce background, noticed bone broth's strong sales in the US. The duo commissioned an initial batch and listed it online, where it sold out within two weeks.
By 2024, Freja's turnover reached £5 million, climbing to £9 million by 2025. On Thursday, the couple published their first cookbook, The Bone Broth Book, featuring broth-based recipes to demystify the ingredient.
What Exactly Is Bone Broth?
The obvious question is: what distinguishes bone broth? According to Leather, it's the liquid produced by simmering leftover roasted bones, such as chicken, in water. This sounds identical to stock, but the key difference lies in cooking time. While stock simmers for three to six hours, bone broth cooks for at least 12 hours, sometimes up to 48 hours.
This extended simmering extracts more beneficial compounds like protein and collagen. Regular consumption may improve sleep, enhance skin health, reduce inflammation, and boost gut health. 'The longer you simmer them, the more good things you extract,' Leather emphasises.
Celebrity Endorsements and Market Presence
Bone broth has garnered a devoted following. England captain Harry Kane has stated that 'the natural health benefits of bone broth are undeniable'. Professional chefs also embrace it. Outside chef Thomas Straker's new London restaurant, Acre, a hatch sells takeaway cups of bone broth for £5, akin to coffee.
Leather acknowledges her products are pricey. Costs reflect the 24-hour cooking process and premium ingredients: water, onion, carrot, salt, herbs, and bones from entire Norwegian chickens. Norwegian farmers avoid antibiotics, ensuring higher quality. To make bone broth more accessible, Freja's cookbook guides people on preparing it affordably at home.
Recipes from The Bone Broth Book
The cookbook includes diverse recipes, from a spicy fish bone broth soup to a simple beef bone broth minestrone. Here are highlights:
- Classic Chicken Bone Broth: A clear, golden broth simmered for 6-12 hours, perfect for soups or sipping.
- Beef Pho: A Vietnamese noodle soup using beef bone broth as a shortcut for depth.
- Italian Penicillin Soup: A chicken soup enhanced with bone broth for immune support.
- Ribollita-Style Minestrone: A Tuscan-inspired stew with beans, greens, and sourdough.
- Provençal Garlic & Sage Sipping Broth: A herbal French-inspired remedy.
- Hot & Sour Prawn Tom Yum: A Thai soup with bone broth for extra nutrition.
- Feijoada: A Brazilian black bean stew with pork and sausage.
- One-Pan Prawn Jambalaya: An oven-baked rice dish with spicy flavours.
The Bone Broth Book by Freja, photographed by Andrew Burton, is published by HarperCollins at £22. It aims to help consumers embrace bone broth, caveman connotations be damned.
