our story

Since The Beginning of Time

Since the beginning of time, fires were lit to keep people warm, to cook and to create places to gather. Today you can’t cook on most outdoor fireplaces and many don’t even keep you warm. Flare Outdoor Fireplaces keep the purpose of fire alive. They enhance outdoor living with an all-in-one design you can use as a grill, pizza oven, rotisserie, smoker, or just a beautiful place to relax.

Everyone gathers around fire. There’s something magical about it. It’s always been this way and this ancient part of our DNA draws us to the warmth and movement of fire. The beauty and simplicity of a Flare Outdoor Fireplace captures this atmosphere, sometimes standing out, creating the needed centrepiece — other times disappearing into the background having achieved its purpose.

Established 2001 by Torrey & Sue Hilton

Torrey Hilton, Founder: “Creating a place to gather with our family was the desire that birthed the first Flare Outdoor Fireplace. We wanted something to engage around with our growing family. We also wanted to add value to our outdoor space. I guess in both ways we wanted to invest into our future.

In our travels over the years we’d seen the South African Braai, the Croatian Peka and the Argentinian Grill. We wanted something that could cook like that, but also stand like a piece of art. Since we built that first outdoor fireplace we’ve been captured by flame, smoke, family and fun.

We have been building fires now for many years and thousands of people in New Zealand have been won over with the same dream. We now have offices in Australia, Canada and the USA and are very pleased that people all over the world are relaxing and making time around our fires.”

Flare Fires Outdoor Fires

Torrey & Sue Hilton, Founders

Local Company to International Kiwi Brand

Mike Edwards, Business Partner | CEO

“When I joined Flare in 2016 I was given the challenge of taking the business from a local company to an international kiwi brand. I printed that vision in large letters on our office wall. We’re not there yet, but man it feels like we’re getting close.

We send outdoor fireplaces into Australia almost every week. We have a factory in Ontario that is growing sales in Canada, we’ve expanded into the USA, which is growing nicely, and our social media following beats most other kiwi brands.

Some who see how busy we are, can’t believe we’re still in business. They ask “Aren’t you worried you’re going to run out of customers?” The truth of the matter is, I haven’t worried about that once — I worry that I’m not thinking big enough. Fortunately, we have a great team who do all the hard work.”

New Zealand Team

Karen Mackie | 2IC

Conrad Wanoa | Operations

Sam Edwards | Sales

Kristin Vermeulen | EA

NEW ZEALAND FACTORY

Drone shot showing the southern yard – by Phil Johnson

PHOTO FROM THE NORTH

Highlighting the newly expanded northern yard, previously used to graze livestock

Canada Team

Matt Elliot

Katrina Elliot

Kristin Elliot

We Bought a School!

outdoor fireplace factory canada

We started manufacturing Flare’s outdoor fireplaces in Canada during the summer of 2021 – then expanded our operations by converting an unused school, Weddwood Public.

Webbwood, Ontario, Canada remains the home of Flare Outdoor Fireplaces Canada.

The Story Continues…

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