The Move
Bell's Foods LLC, the Greenwich, Conn.-based maker of America's best-known poultry seasoning, is entering the bone broth category with Bell's Turkey Bone Broth — a 32-ounce carton priced at $4.99 suggested retail and set to reach Northeast grocery shelves in October 2026. The launch marks the brand's most significant product extension since it introduced Bell's Traditional Stuffing Mix in the 1970s.
The Product Numbers
The broth is formulated to deliver 11 grams of protein per serving, positioning it at the high end of the category on that metric. The company is also emphasizing a lower-sodium profile relative to conventional bone broths, leaning on the herb-and-spice blend from Bell's century-old poultry seasoning recipe to carry flavor load in place of salt. Dave West, co-owner of Bell's Foods LLC, framed the launch as a deliberate convergence of heritage and health-oriented positioning: "We're bringing together nearly 160 years of culinary heritage with the nutritional benefits consumers are looking for today."
Category and Competitive Context
Bone broth has been one of the more durable growth categories in packaged grocery over the past decade, driven by consumer interest in high-protein, functional foods and the broader shift toward wellness-oriented pantry staples. The segment is now populated by both dedicated brands — Kettle & Fire, Pacific Foods, Swanson — and private-label lines that have expanded shelf space significantly at major chains. Bell's entry at $4.99 positions it at the accessible end of branded bone broth retail pricing, which typically ranges from roughly $4.50 to $9.00 for comparable 32-ounce cartons depending on format and retailer. That price point gives the brand room to compete on value while trading on its recognition equity, particularly in the Northeast, where Bell's poultry seasoning has deep household penetration ahead of the holiday cooking season.
The timing of a Northeast-first October rollout is strategically deliberate: Bell's poultry seasoning is a holiday-meal staple for generations of New England households, and launching a turkey-forward bone broth in Q4 aligns product trial with peak brand relevance. Grocery buyers across the region have reportedly signaled strong initial interest. Whether the company plans a broader national or regional expansion beyond the Northeast was not disclosed.
For grocery retailers and category managers, Bell's entry represents a familiar brand attempting to extend trust and shelf velocity from a legacy dry-seasoning position into the refrigerated- and shelf-stable-broth aisle — a move that carries meaningful cross-merchandising potential around the holiday set. The brand's founding dates to 1867, and its seasoning is broadly stocked across New England supermarkets. Bell's broth will need to demonstrate repeat-purchase velocity beyond initial trial driven by brand recognition to earn sustained shelf placement against entrenched broth competitors.
The company did not provide volume targets, distribution partner names, or first-year revenue projections in conjunction with the launch.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
