MeatEater

About MeatEater

MeatEater is an outdoor lifestyle media and commerce company headquartered in Bozeman, Montana. It was formally founded in 2018 by writer, television host, and outdoorsman Steven Rinella. Rinella, who grew up hunting and fishing in Michigan, had already established the "MeatEater" brand through his long-running television series and books, translating the field-to-table and conservation ethos to a broad audience. His background includes a Master of Fine Arts in creative non-fiction from the University of Montana.

The company's business model is centered on a content-to-commerce strategy. It produces a wide array of media, including the flagship "MeatEater" show (which moved to Netflix), numerous podcasts like "The MeatEater Podcast" which garners over 40 million annual downloads, online articles, and videos focusing on hunting, fishing, wild foods, and conservation. This content builds a large, engaged community of outdoor enthusiasts. Revenue is generated through the sale of products from its portfolio of owned brands and partner products via its e-commerce platform and a flagship retail store in Bozeman. The company has been profitable every year since 2019 and surpassed $100 million in annual revenue.

A significant milestone in the company's growth was a major investment from The Chernin Group in 2018, which enabled its expansion. Under the leadership of CEOs like Kevin Sloan and subsequently Jason Bergsman, MeatEater, Inc. has pursued an aggressive acquisition strategy to build its commerce division. This began with the purchase of technical hunting apparel company First Lite in 2019. Subsequent acquisitions include FHF Gear (purpose-built outdoor accessories), Phelps Game Calls, and Dave Smith Decoys (ultra-realistic hunting decoys).