Bloom Nutrition uses ShipBob as their primary third-party logistics (3PL) and fulfillment partner.
Introduction to Bloom Nutrition
Founded by Mari Llewellyn in 2019, Bloom Nutrition has rapidly transformed from a small startup into a leading health and wellness brand in the supplement industry. The company offers a diverse range of products including protein powders, superfood blends, collagen boosters, and vitamins—all made with high-quality ingredients designed to be both nutritious and delicious.
Mari's personal transformation journey is deeply embedded in the brand's DNA. After experiencing significant health challenges in college, including weighing 250 pounds and being diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder, she found solace and purpose in fitness and nutrition. This personal experience inspired her to create Bloom Nutrition to help others "bloom into their best selves" through accessible wellness products.
From its humble beginnings with less than $1 million in revenue and just a few employees, Bloom has experienced exponential growth, reaching an impressive 9-figure revenue in 2023. This remarkable trajectory has positioned them as a formidable player in the highly competitive health supplement market.
Why Bloom Needed to Optimize Fulfillment
As Bloom Nutrition experienced rapid growth, several fulfillment challenges emerged that threatened to limit their expansion:
- Scalability concerns: With exponential growth on the horizon, Bloom needed a fulfillment partner capable of handling massive volume increases without service disruptions
- Inventory management complexity: Their products require specialized lot control capabilities due to expiration dates, presenting unique inventory management challenges
- Returns processing inefficiencies: Processing returns for products with expiration dates required specialized handling procedures
- Limited operational team: Bloom operated with a lean team and needed a fulfillment solution that wouldn't require significant headcount expansion
- International expansion goals: The brand had ambitions to expand globally but lacked the logistics infrastructure to support this growth
- Retail channel integration: As they moved into eCommerce fulfillment across multiple channels, including big-box retail partnerships, they needed seamless integration capabilities
These challenges required a sophisticated fulfillment solution that could grow with the brand while maintaining the premium customer experience essential to Bloom's identity.
Partnership Details and Results
Bloom Nutrition's partnership with ShipBob has yielded impressive results that have supported their meteoric rise in the health supplement industry:
- Scaled to 9-figure revenue: Bloom has grown from less than $1M to 9-figure annual sales in 2023 with ShipBob as their fulfillment backbone
- Fulfilled over 1.5 million orders: ShipBob has successfully processed and shipped more than 1.5 million orders to Bloom's customers
- Global reach expansion: The partnership has enabled shipping to over 70 countries worldwide
- Lean operations maintained: Despite their massive growth, Bloom operates with just a 3-person operations team
- Multi-channel success: Successful integration with 3 big-box retail partners including Amazon and Target
- Strategic inventory placement: Using 4 ShipBob fulfillment centers for optimal inventory distribution and reduced shipping costs
These quantifiable results demonstrate how the right 3PL partnership can be transformative for a growing eCommerce brand, providing the infrastructure needed to scale operations without proportionally increasing operational complexity.
The ShipBob 3PL Solution
ShipBob implemented a comprehensive suite of solutions tailored to Bloom Nutrition's specific needs:
- Strategic inventory distribution: Placed inventory across multiple fulfillment centers in California, Pennsylvania, and other strategic locations to minimize shipping costs and delivery times
- Specialized lot control system: Implemented detailed lot tracking for products with expiration dates to maintain inventory freshness and comply with industry regulations
- Custom packaging capabilities: Developed branded packaging solutions to enhance the unboxing experience and reinforce Bloom's premium brand identity
- Integrated dashboard reporting: Provided comprehensive data visibility through a unified dashboard for tracking all critical metrics
- Automated returns management: Created a streamlined returns management system with specific rules for each SKU based on product expiration dates
- International expansion infrastructure: Established fulfillment capabilities for Mexico with plans to expand to Canada, UK, and Australia
- Omnichannel retail integration: Seamlessly connected with major retail partners and emerging platforms like TikTok Shop
By providing these tailored solutions, ShipBob has positioned itself as more than just a service provider—they've become a strategic growth partner enabling Bloom's continued expansion across markets and channels.
Lessons for Other eCommerce Brands
Bloom Nutrition's successful partnership with ShipBob offers valuable lessons for other eCommerce brands considering 3PL partnerships:
- Choose a partner that can scale with your growth: Select a 3PL with proven ability to handle exponential growth without service disruptions. Bloom started small but needed a partner ready for their rapid expansion.
- Prioritize specialized capabilities for your product category: Bloom required lot control for expiration dates—identify the specific requirements unique to your products and ensure your 3PL can accommodate them.
- Strategic inventory placement drives profitability: Multi-location fulfillment reduced Bloom's shipping costs and improved delivery times. Analyze your customer geography to optimize warehouse locations.
- Data visibility enables better decision-making: Bloom leverages ShipBob's unified dashboard to track critical metrics. Ensure your 3PL provides comprehensive reporting capabilities.
By applying these lessons, growing eCommerce brands can develop more effective fulfillment strategies that support rather than constrain their growth ambitions.
Is This 3PL Right for Your Business?
When considering whether ShipBob or a similar 3PL provider might be right for your business, evaluate these factors:
- Growth trajectory: If you anticipate significant growth, ensure your 3PL has the capacity, technology, and infrastructure to scale with you
- Product requirements: Consider whether your products have special handling needs (temperature control, lot management, fragility) that require specialized capabilities
- Geographic distribution: Analyze where your customers are located and whether a multi-warehouse strategy would benefit your shipping costs and delivery times
- Channel strategy: If you sell across multiple channels (DTC, marketplace, retail), ensure your 3PL can integrate with all relevant platforms
- International ambitions: For brands looking to expand globally, assess the 3PL's international capabilities and experience
- Technology integration: Evaluate how well the 3PL's systems will integrate with your existing tech stack and what level of visibility they provide
- Budget considerations: Compare pricing structures and understand how costs will scale as your volume increases
Finding the right 3PL partner is a critical business decision that impacts everything from customer satisfaction to operational efficiency. Consider using a matchmaking service to identify potential partners that align with your specific requirements.
Final Thoughts
Bloom Nutrition's journey from startup to 9-figure brand demonstrates the transformative impact the right fulfillment partnership can have on an eCommerce company's growth trajectory. By leveraging ShipBob's fulfillment expertise, Bloom has created a scalable operational foundation that supports their continued expansion while maintaining the premium customer experience central to their brand identity.
For health and fitness brands in particular, the specialized capabilities around lot control and product freshness that ShipBob provides offer significant advantages in maintaining product integrity throughout the fulfillment process. Meanwhile, the strategic distribution of inventory across multiple fulfillment centers in cities like Philadelphia and San Francisco enables cost-effective nationwide and international shipping.
As the eCommerce landscape continues to evolve, partnerships between brands and 3PLs will become increasingly strategic, moving beyond simple outsourcing arrangements to become true growth enablers. Bloom Nutrition and ShipBob exemplify this new paradigm—a collaborative relationship where logistics expertise amplifies brand potential and creates a foundation for sustainable, long-term success.
If you're considering optimizing your fulfillment operations, take the time to evaluate potential partners thoroughly, focusing not just on current needs but future growth aspirations. The right 3PL partnership, as Bloom has demonstrated, can be a powerful catalyst for transforming your eCommerce business.