How Solo Stove Turned Fire Pits Into A $400 Million Empire

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This is Solo Stove. Known for its smoke-free backyard fire pits and camping stoves, the brand was started in 2011 by brothers Jeff and Spencer Jan. It's grown from Kickstarter campaigns to a $2 billion valuation when it went public in 2021 as Solo Brands under CEO John Merris. That same year, it acquired outdoor brands, Chubbies, Oru Kayak and Isle generating about $404 million in revenue. Here's how Solo Stove turned fire pits in a multi-million dollar empire.
Produced by: Sam Rega
Supervising Producer: Jessica Leibowitz
Camera: Lucas Mullikin, Erin Black
Editor: Nic Golden Henry
Animator: Gene Kim
Reporter: Tom Huddleston
Narrated by: Ashton Jackson
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How Solo Stove Turned Fire Pits Into A $400 Million Empire

Опубликовано:

13 фев 2023

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Комментарии : 150

@the_notorious_bas Год назад

You might not smell the camp fire, but I do smell an advertorial from a mile away.

@anonamos225 Год назад

Cost of acquisition did go up like they said.

@cartoonking1063 Год назад

Got me, I’m buying one. They look dynamite

@mikevondebag Год назад

@@cartoonking1063 get a breeo instead. Solo Stove is Chinese garbage

@michaelbruchas6663 Год назад

Yep - feels like a commercial. I first heard about their small camping stoves - but the upscale market hijacked the “trendiness” of them.

@proProcrastinatooor Год назад

C in CNBC stands for Commerce.

@ncubesays Год назад

For me here in Zimbabwe, it's a bit weird hearing about this disruption in the"fire" market when similar products are literally everywhere here. Highlights the stark difference in energy consumption.

@saddammapundu6867 Год назад

Sure, had a similar product and it just couldn't take off. Maybe the marketing and distribution network makes the difference here

@mandlas.4305 Год назад

Ncube, similar products are everywhere in ZW but they smoke like a chimney and you smell like fire after sitting around them.

@renemanuel7716 Год назад

I am from Angola, África and we have same similar products since 90s and as a kid we used to make our own with Steel can wich comes Milk on it. We Call it Call fire. Good ald days.

@jont2576 Год назад

That's the thing,ur people weren't smart enough to create a redesign of things that already exist to make it look hip and modern so people would buy it and go do stupid shyt that they otherwise wouldn't in a million years.and create a marketing campaign on Kickstarter and sell it at a 500% markup. For example this stove was obviously modelled after the gallon oil drums that homeless people used to create fires during winter to keep warm with air holes at the bottom for better airflow or Jamaicans cooking jerk chicken on the streets of Jamaica.

@ncubesays Год назад

@@mandlas.4305 Hawu ndoda, you should look up rocket stoves. Zero smoke

@sonicblare Год назад

Legend has it that the realtor who's invested on IPO sat there talking about fire hours after the camera crew left.

@SunnyMaroju Год назад

He is doing paid interviews to recoup his losses from IPO. what a mastermind

@MrPhotodoc Год назад

To make your own, take the round tub out of a scrap washing machine. Stainless steel is the best but any will do. Remove the plastic agitator in the center and put the whole tub inside a standard galvanized steel trash can. Throw firewood or even your household combustibles in and light. Use the trashcan lid to keep rain out or to put the fire out when done.

@Sagittarius-A-Star Год назад

👍

@rubensmejl Год назад

Yup, do the same here in Sweden. But I have to say this one looks better. But maybe not 700 dollars better 😅

@tarekz9992 Год назад

Galvanized steal fumes are toxic, make sure the garbage can does not get hot enough to burn

@averageguy1261 Год назад

I looked into that. If you're a DIYer sure. However it's more practical than pretty.

@acrosome99 Год назад

I know that Fritz Handel has said that he never filed a patent specifically so that anyone could make one, but Solo really should at least give him a *little* credit when they rip off his Bushbuddy design (which then led to all of the later designs). It's just polite. It is RIDICULOUS that Solo patented it in the US. The Bushbuddy clearly constituted prior art, and that patent clerk failed at his job. But Fritz isn't mentioned anywhere on the Solo website, and the patent claims that it is a "new design". Pffft. Rude. I would LOVE to see them try to enforce that patent by suing Bushbuddy! Gee, I wonder why they don't, especially since Bushbuddy does sell in the US? Hmm?

@Sagittarius-A-Star Год назад

Thanks for that information - i suspected something foul going on already.

@deeharper1364 Год назад

This isn't new though. In Asia, identical stoves like this has been used outdoors for paper incense burning for decades. This is also not almost smokeless.

@tobene Год назад

It seems like a cool product and a solid company, but a 2 billion valuation is CRAZY

@AllenHanPR Год назад

Evaluation is based on many factors but mainly on the continued sales pattern and they multiply it.

@ALCRAN2010 8 месяцев назад

Pump n dump

@onespeedlite 6 месяцев назад

@@AllenHanPR Their return in the past 5 years is about -70%.

@responsibleaccount3918 Год назад

I wish I could go just five minutes on social media without someone trying to sell me something

@the_notorious_bas Год назад

and yet you clicked on the title..

@mackisbrocklesnar Год назад

go read a book

@Siddhartha040107 Год назад

Hilarious

@redMaple_QC Год назад

It is expensive for what it is. You can also diy one for a lot less. Also a lot of municipalities don't allow wood burning. And finally you can't see the fire that well, which is one of the main draw to open pit fires.

@soniaclaire Год назад

I got a Ranger knockoff from Aldi for $100 last year. works great.

@nic3point0 Год назад

This would work in South Africa, we have something called load-shedding

@dougie_big_bo Год назад

"it's the best house warming gift".... smooooth.

@organizedchaos4559 Год назад

No way 80 million households in the us buys this. I think they are saturated at around 40 million

@DogeMultiverse Год назад

Laughs in Texas

@dennish5150 Год назад

😂😂 it is selling like gun each family need a few 😅

@deeharper1364 Год назад

@@dennish5150 Alot of homes do not have backyards nor do apartments allows such stoves.

@dennish5150 Год назад

@@deeharper1364 but if it is true they are selling 80 million units in the USA then they must be 🥵 hot

@AllenHanPR Год назад

Wrong, this is huge in midwest. Everyone I know has one or two of them. People in California pay a lot for their property but in Texas, its very big because they saved a lot on property.

@318cadp5 Год назад

Before solo stove only people that owned 50+ acre ranch’s could have backyard bonfires

@DrWeaselander Год назад

Don't know about the bonfire, but the stainless steel roasting sticks are amazing.

@razoraz Год назад

You can make a smokeless burn barrel that uses the same combustion principles with a 55-gallon drum, a couple metal working tools and a couple hours of time. There are videos showing how to do this on youtube.

@mushroomtits8387 Год назад

I watch hobbos out my barred window do it ALL THE TIME 4 FREE ! ! 🤭

@FutureCommentary1 Год назад

Which the video mentionned is how they got the idea in the first place (Watching RU-vid)

@razoraz Год назад

@@FutureCommentary1 Wow they mentioned the video I talked about? Can you give the minute:second time quote of that?

@FutureCommentary1 Год назад

@@razoraz No I didn't edit my comment. Still says: watching RU-vid. Did I mention a specific video?

@matthew3136 Год назад

Or you can go to Sam’s club and buy a nearly identical copy for less than half the price.

@hardwareful Год назад

We've got to get back to a respectful form of advertising. One that doesn't strip the last bit of privacy off the potential customer. Needs honest reviews by people that really test product to failure.

@claudiahansen4938 Год назад

Can you cook over a mid size one? Any accessories for cooking?

@AllenHanPR Год назад

You know you have money when you think solo-stove is an affordable house warming gift. I'm lucky to get a $25.00 gift if I have a housewarming. Also weird why the founders aren't on this videos.

@MuhammadAli-ip1wt Год назад

not weird. some founders don't like publicity. Like the founder of tik tok. He founded it and went ghost.

@Dave_the_Dave Год назад

They really took a old washing machine drum and turned it into a hundred million dollar business

@judyyu9009 Год назад

My neighbor had one and honestly it was still pretty smoky and didn't feel that warm. Wouldn't buy it myself.

@isabellam1936 Год назад

I feel like the secret to this design isn’t the design or holes but the fact that it’s in something. The only part of the breeze that touches the fire is the very tips of the flame where normal fires or fire pits are more open so they blow the smoke around on everyone where this one the smoke just goes straight up.

@CatcherOfBass Год назад

I just dig a hole in the ground. If I get crazy I line it with rocks and some stainless steel.

@shekharmoona544 Год назад

There were a lot of horrible fire pits that were sold. This was definitely an improvement.

@jvstinkk Год назад

John Merris actually goes to my church. His headquarters is located in Southlake near dragon stadium and i’m friends with the daughter. Edited: I just figured out Jeff Jan and the other guy also goes to our church wow

@striv3102 Год назад

Working at fed ex you see solo stove literally everyday. Cudos to the company fr.

@bronzo1217 Год назад

They are expensive but are woth it when on sale. The messa is a good smoke buddy for fall spring summer

@Memento-_-Mori-_-982 Год назад

I built my own for under $20 canadian!

@cartoonking1063 Год назад

One question, the flame looks quite high, is there any way that can be managed? Obviously a cover would take a lot of the fun away. Also how much fuel would it go through assuming you’re using gas and wood or is it expensive to run? Maybe no more than a gas outdoor heater

@jont2576 Год назад

U can even use twigs that u find on the floor,I assume to adjust the flame intensity there is probably some way to block the air holes to reduce the amount of oxygen and airflow going in,but it would probably cause the fire to burn badly and create a ton of smoke, the stove is designed to maximise airflow so it would burn strongly and cleanly thus minimising the amount of smoke produced.

@UncleChopChop22 Год назад

Lol someone watched a RU-vid how to video and went and turned it into a business.

@Mr1wd Год назад

Cool product but heck is it pricey for somethings that's made of a few sheets of stainless steel.

@cuuppaajoe Год назад

@2:50 smoke in abundance!

@abdelwadoudstelzer8863 Год назад

would be nice if they made an alternative to the mushroom gas heater that runs on wood.

@blazer8451 8 месяцев назад

I love my solo stove

@om_Sed Год назад

woww.. look good.. let see, can i find it at alibaba?..

@billyrogers1586 Год назад

how is it "smoke free" I didn't see any explanation of that.

@michaelb7864 Год назад

Because it’s not smoke free it’s only for idiots to believe and buy this mini trash can of a fire pit

@yongjianyi3556 Год назад

They copied the bush buddy stove design after the license lapse in 2011 making small wood stove for camping, never became that popular. It only found it's niche making large 'fire pits'.

@Dmonsterparedes0625 5 месяцев назад

I love how all the product photos don’t show you how ugly it gets after one photo

@evan51298 Год назад

The mesa, which is as big as 2 coffee mugs, is selling for $80. That is laughable because a quick search on the chinese market is around $18.

@zoickn Год назад

I got this stove (other brand) shipped from China waaaaaayyyy cheaper and better quality. They have improvised the product.

@summerfield01 Год назад

If you wanna be successful, you must take responsibility for your emotions, not place the blame on others. In addition to making you feel more guilty about your faults, pointing the finger at others will only serve to increase your sense of personal accountability. There's always a risk in every investment, yet people still invest and succeed. You must look outward if you wanna be successful in life...

@OctogonOxygen024816 Год назад

1:22 18 months for supply chain solutions, got it.

@yamamancha Год назад

Those look exactly like those DIY beer can jet alcohol stoves popularized by the channel "tetkoba's Alcohol Stove Addict" over a decade ago. Just goes to show, being first is not good enough.

@shawnlim4034 Год назад

Marshmallows on fire lol

@thembangulube9041 Год назад

notice how most things are...simple and do basic things...with style ofcourse

@utkua Год назад

I never knew this was a thing, and after searching I've found that these existed like forever and they are dirt cheap. Whatever makes this company 2 billion is one of those things that is wrong with this world.

@nepalama3339 Год назад

They may have visited Nepal ( virtual included ) and copied here. It is everywhere in Asia and else for years .

@markmcculloch2570 Год назад

Same type made in South Africa.

@walterwhite3417 7 месяцев назад

Who’s here after Snoop has given up smoke?

@RR123 Год назад

Time to get the real quality firepit: a Breeo

@Manjunathnswamy Год назад

Old traditions are good and healthy but sad things is need more woods

@dalerector8491 Год назад

The inside of a washing machine works similar

@OKFrax-ys2op Год назад

Please “Make it in the USA”🇺🇸

@mikevondebag Год назад

Get a Breeo instead. Better quality fire pit.

@flepper231 Год назад

A friend of mine has one. These fires have almost no radiant heat compared to a metal garden hearth.

@AllenHanPR Год назад

People who buy this aren't concerened about the heat.

@yungrichnbroke5199 Год назад

How is this make it?

@hussainbhavnagarwala2596 Год назад

Doesn't this promote increased carbon in the atmosphere?

@SA-ho1mu Год назад

Good for them, but dunno why anyone would invest in this. Smokeless fire pit isn't a unique product.... They are lots of brands that make the same thing. It's just a piece of metal with a vent, so nothing stopping more from entering the market

@elguapodelmonte215 Год назад

So they bought the shares for around $19, it reached $21, and now they are at $4 a share, the question that burns here is "what does the Solostove use as a combustible??????????" and is the "smokeless burn barrel combustion stove" need to be "MADE IN CHINA", then shipped halfway across the World, going through several sets of hands, from factory to to the truck, to the container ship, to the truck, to the warehouse. Can these stoves be "MADE SOMEWHERE CLOSER" - EITHER "MADE IN THE USA" OR "MADE IN AMERICA"

@hteacave Год назад

How do they invent the stuff? Also, very cool. I would get

@thatgui88 Год назад

Gucci gang

@jlm4836 Год назад

Add lots air and dry wood, a fire does well. Any green wood would smoke until moisture gets depleted. No miracle here 🧐

@Antonin1738 Год назад

I didnt know about this, but I live in a concrete jungle so

@MathiasLeth Год назад

Remember when this young kid only build stuff from wood. 😅

@JinKee Год назад

They stole this design from Bushbuddy. Buy the original

@cruzergo Год назад

They didn't reinvent fire but got the idea from tlud stoves which is free plan.

@cathybradford5685 8 месяцев назад

The comment I posted the other day has been removed! Interesting.

@Sagittarius-A-Star Год назад

Started interesting but ended up in marketing/consumer/advertising/manipulating/etc BS. No, thanks - I will not buy it.

@wizirbyman Год назад

honestly if they can make them look prettier, i could see them being very popular in rooftop bars or outdoor patios at bars in general

@piknick111 Год назад

They ripped off the idea from washing machine baskets and fooled people into spending hundreds of dollars on them.

@rafaelZzz21 Год назад

IPO is down from 20 to 4.

@dennish5150 Год назад

Wow, real “high tech” design here 😂 is this for jack up the stock price?

@adv-rider7368 Год назад

And I thought paying $5 a bundle for campfire wood at a campground was wasting money…. Someone said “here, hold ma beer”. Just wow…. $2.1b valuation for stainless fire vessels company with air induction at the base. I don’t get it…

@dp7933 Год назад

With that valuation, they'd have to be selling a stove to about 5% of US households *every year*. Never mind that for decades people have been making stoves like this for nearly free out of old barrels, coffee cans and ducts.

@jakejoyride Год назад

Why use this? What is the point?

@countrymannewzealand Год назад

😅

@jolly1039 Год назад

Easy.. swipe those low interest credit card up and down..

@vladrazym9955 Год назад

Lol, why Im not surprised that even such a bulky thing is still made in china and shipped to us

@CoolFrijolez Год назад

Im surprised they haven’t been exposed yet. People only buy these to post them on the gram.

@peli3783 Год назад

Nice product to burn the rabbits

@markmtenga7138 Год назад

You have to be afraid of CNBC documentary about your business cause they have bad luck I tell you

@squirrelcovers6340 Год назад

Completely UNNECESSARY 😂😂😂😂

@BLWRLD925 Год назад

The problem is that more trees will fell for the solo stove to work not a solution at all to solve global warming

@angeurbain6129 Год назад

Forget about g;pbal warming here. This is not the point. Please let the people have fun with fire

@realitycheck238 Год назад

This is an Advertisement

@Alex.8081 Год назад

This is laughable and too over hype! I give it a few years at most before the western people catch on that it's not a big deal after all!

@AB-vc7ox Год назад

Is it not common knowledge that fire needs air? SMH Drilling air intake holes through the sides of my fire pit accomplished the same thing over 10 years ago. Save your money drill some holes, LMFAO!!!!😂 Just like people have punched ventilation holes up and down the sides of steel drum trash burn barrels since well over 80 years ago.

@Tedtopdawg Год назад

Do a review search and you will know how terrible this product is . Not to mention the burnt , discoloration around the rim . The company should really start investing in make a bette product .

@melvincarbonel964 Год назад

Another hype?

@squintygreeneyes Год назад

wtf is $400 million? what a stupid title

@anthonymontoya1537 Год назад

Build in USA just for that I won’t buy

@cliffsiaw Год назад

Contributing to carbon emission and climate change

@woltews Год назад

what a rip off - they did not invent this they just copied it ! its worth about $50 max

@isabellam1936 Год назад

It doesn’t look good and is very expensive

@ET76001 Год назад

total nonsense. It is NOT AT ALL smoke free. It just IS NOT SMOKE-FREE !!! We have tried it in our garden, we were covered in smoke just as much as with any other fire pit. And the added benefit is that the fire is in a small hole deep inside the stove - so you also barely feel the warmth, unless you come real close - which of course will make you even more smoky ....LOL well, great for gadget suckers.