GRIL Ventures is a private investment firm focusing on backing high growth and high impact technology companies. It is on a mission to align disruptive technologies and game-changing entrepreneurs to advance dignity. It has a portfolio of 45 investments across energy, transportation, health and mental wellness, education, food and agriculture, consumer, internet, and big data for enterprise.

GRIL Ventures

GroundForce Capital is an investment management organization that invests in high-potential firms that aim to promote human and environmental health and longevity.

GroundForce Capital

Alumni Ventures Group provides high-quality, diversified venture portfolios to individual investors who previously haven't had access to VC. It helps accredited alums from top entrepreneurial schools invest together in the ventures of fellow alums. The firm backs companies with an alumni connection and an institutional lead investor with expertise in the space. AVG also offers focused funds that allow any accredited investor access to a venture portfolio, diversified by type, sector, stage, and geography. Beth Obermiller, Michael Madden, and Mike Collins co-founded the firm in Manchester, New Hampshire in 2013.

Alumni Ventures

Rich Products Ventures is a venture capital arm of Rich Products Corporation.

Rich Products Ventures

Siddhi Capital is the venture partner for convention-crushing food and beverage companies. It blends deep operating knowledge and expertise through its strategic partnership with Siddhi Ops, and smart capital to propel brands forward in the food and beverage marketplace.

Siddhi Capital

Studio Management is a data-driven asset manager investing across public equities and venture capital.

Studio Management

Thistle

Thistle is a healthy food and juice company that delivers fully-prepared, plant-forward meals to the doorsteps of its customers. It makes eating nutritious, organic, and local foods incredibly convenient and accessible. They believe that by removing the major existing hurdles to consumers (no time to make a meal; too expensive to eat healthy; bad local options), they can empower our customers to make great choices for themselves, their family, and the environment. It was founded in 2013 and is based in San Francisco, California.

Thistle is a prepared meal delivery startup that offers customized meal plans starting from USD 11.50 and averaging USD 14 per meal. The startup initially began as an on-demand, cold-pressed juice delivery service in 2013, later pivoting to add healthy prepared meals and shifting its business model to batch delivery.

From fast food to fine dining, everything but the kitchen sink is suddenly just a tap away.

Online Food Delivery

Thistle is a meal delivery service founded in 2013 and headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area. The company focuses on providing plant-forward, nutrient-dense meals that are gluten-free, dairy-free, and free from refined sugars, artificial sweeteners, preservatives, and additives. Thistle's meals are designed by nutritionists and chefs to offer a balance of protein, fiber, and healthy fats. The company delivers fully prepared, ready-to-eat or heat-and-eat meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as snacks, sides, and cold-pressed juices.

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Thistle Review 2024: Great Plant-Powered Plans!

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Read Customer Service Reviews of www.thistle.co

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Convenience Foods

Aruma now hunting gold at Rose and Thistle

Thistle is a prepared meal delivery startup that offers customized meal plans starting from USD 11.50 and averaging USD 14 per meal. The startup initially began as an on-demand, cold-pressed juice delivery service in 2013, later pivoting to add healthy prepared meals and shifting its business model to batch delivery.Breakfast, lunch and dinner menus are available in meat or plant-based diets, accompanied by snacks, sides and juices. Meals provided by the startup are gluten-free and dairy-free. Thistle looks to keep its costs down by delivering only thrice weekly, by batching deliveries during morning hours which are less congested and by optimizing routes to its subscribers. The company also utilizes mailing to send boxes beyond the geographic confines in which it currently operates. Meals are delivered to the San Francisco Bay Area, North Bay, Sacramento, Davis, Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange County and Las Vegas and are delivered by its delivery partner, onTrac.

DoorDash operates an online food delivery platform, connecting restaurants with customers, across the US, Australia, Canada and Japan. As of February 2022, the company was the market leader in the US among OFD players, with an estimated 58% market share according to Bloomberg Second Measure. Its US operations span over 4,000 cities, with more than 400,000 restaurant partners servicing over 18 million customers, as of April 2021. DoorDash is one of the first startups (along with Postmates) to offer a delivery facility through an aggregator platform, which competitor GrubHub only started in 2015. The company has also expanded into grocery and convenience store delivery over the last 2-3 years, with a hybrid business model consisting of a mix of supermarket partnerships and its own network of dark stores. As of June 2022, the company operated in 27 countries including the US, Canada, Japan, Germany, Australia, Israel, and New Zealand as well as countries in the Nordics, Baltics, Eastern and Central Europe, and the Caucasus.Prior to the pandemic, DoorDash charged restaurants a commission of up to 30% of order value, and a service or delivery fee from customers, depending on the type of service (takeout or delivery). However, during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, third-party delivery platforms were criticized for their heavy commission fees, with several cities across the US imposing a temporary 15% delivery commission cap to support restaurants, given their higher dependency on third party food delivery providers. In response, DoorDash introduced a new three tiered commission structure for US restaurants (with less than 75 locations) in April 2021, ranging between 15%-30% delivery commission (+6% pickup commission), with limits on 1) delivery area; 2) app visibility; and 3) access to high-value DashPass customers, for the lower commission range. Under the new commission structure, consumers bear a higher share of delivery costs. Consumers who subscribe (USD 9.99 per month) to DashPass, however, are eligible for zero delivery fees on orders over USD 12.00. The company classifies DashPass subscribers as “high-value”, likely due to their frequency of ordering food delivery. In April 2022, the company launched <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/9779">“DashPass for Students,” </a>a discounted subscription plan for college students. The new program builds on its existing DashPass (launched in 2018), allowing DoorDash to make its services more accessible to students across the US.&nbsp;DoorDash also operates other business models such as 1) DoorDash Self-Delivery: a platform that allows restaurants and food businesses to have a listing on the DoorDash platform, while using their own delivery people and setting their own delivery zone and fees (lower commission vs. restaurants that use DoorDash’s drivers); and 2) DoorDash Drive (Drive): a white-label product, which allows participating restaurants to offer delivery through their own apps or websites (instead of the DoorDash app) with delivery being carried out by DoorDash drivers. In March 2022, the company conducted a beta launch of its new feature “Return a Package,” allowing customers to return packages to the closest post office, UPS, or FedEx location. In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/19802">June 2023 </a>, DoorDash launched a new Earn by Time feature that enables drivers to choose between getting compensated for each delivery or being paid an hourly flat rate. DoorDash also launched a safety feature that allows drivers to share their location with up to five contacts. In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/20692">July 2023 </a>, DoorDash tested Dash AI, an AI-powered chatbot, in select markets. DoorDash expects the technology to expedite the ordering process and enable customers to receive personalized restaurant recommendations by using simple text prompts. In&nbsp;<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/34376">September 2024</a>, the company launched DoorDash Commerce Platform, a suite of products designed to help merchants manage and grow their businesses through their own channels. The platform offers phone ordering with an AI-powered call-in systems and allows merchants to create their own branded mobile apps. It also launched&nbsp; “Ads Manager for Enterprise Restaurants,” a self-serve advertising platform that helps businesses manage marketing campaigns in&nbsp;<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/35652">October 2024</a>.&nbsp;In contrast to competitor UberEats - which has expanded aggressively through a series of acquisitions - DoorDash has predominantly grown organically, with the support of a few strategic acquisitions. DoorDash’s most recent acquisition was in March 2022, when it entered into a definitive agreement to <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/8851">acquire Bbot, </a>a contactless ordering and payment solution provider. The purchase allowed the company to expand its in-store operations product suite for merchants, including in-store digital ordering and payments. Previously, the company acquired Chowbotics, the developer of a stationary salad-making robot, “Sally,” in February 2021. In July 2022, DoorDash announced plans to shut down Chowbotics. &nbsp;In August 2019, the company bought rival online food delivery platform Caviar for USD 410 million. The acquisition strengthened Doordash’s market share in Pennsylvania and Oregon, where Caviar had more than 10% market share.In June 2022, DoorDash completed its acquisition of Wolt, a Finland-based online food delivery platform. The acquisition expanded DoorDash’s global presence from four countries to 27. The deal was closed at a value close to USD 3.5 billion, although it was initially valued at USD 8.1 billion when announced in November 2021. This is a result of DoorDash's share price falling by more than 55% since November. DoorDash issued over 46 million shares to Wolt shareholders in the transaction. Wolt CEO Miki Kuusi was to head the company's operations outside the US, including Wolt’s 23 markets as well as Australia, Canada, and Japan. In less than two weeks following the acquisition, Wolt launched its new subscription service <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/11037">Wolt+ </a>in Prague and scaled its operations in Israel by launching operations in Israel’s northern region.&nbsp;Key customers and partnershipsDoorDash has restaurant partnerships with Chipotle, Denny’s, Wingstop and Little Caesars. In February 2022, DoorDash launched <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/8416">DoorDash Capital </a>in partnership with Parafin, a financial services technology company, to provide revenue-based financing to eligible restaurants and DoorDash merchants. It would support investments in growth including purchasing equipment, hiring, marketing costs, rent, and payroll. That same month, DoorDash Storefront (launched in 2020) integrated with Google to offer commission-free online orders to restaurant partners in the US. In March 2021 Doordash partnered with Missouri-based family-owned supermarket retailer Schnuck Markets to deliver prepared meals from five store locations in St. Louis, Missouri, to addresses within a six-mile radius of the stores. In July 2022 the two companies expanded the partnership to include 25 locations across Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana. In January 2023 expanded its delivery <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2022/09/13/starbucks-and-doordash-to-launch-delivery-partnership-in-atlanta-expand-nationwide-in-2023/">partnership </a>with Starbucks to include the delivery of&nbsp; Starbucks products across all 50 US states by March 2023. In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/19802">June 2023 </a>, the company partnered with Amazon Canada to offer a free one-year membership of the company's subscription service, DashPass, to Amazon Prime members. The company also has a partnerships with AMC Theatres to deliver dine-in menu items from select US theaters (<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/34378">September 2024</a>).DoorDash generated a revenue of USD 8,635 million and incurred an operating loss of USD 579 million during the year ended December 2023.

DoorDash

Gousto is a subscription-based recipe kit startup based in the UK, with operations in the UK and <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/31074">Northern Ireland</a>. Customers have the option to select from two-person or family box options, with a choice between two and four recipes that may price a serving between USD 3.80 to USD 7.90. Gousto has a range of recipes catering to different customer preferences such as vegetarian, plant-based, gluten-free, dairy-free, DIY pizza bases, lean in 15, healthy choice, 10-minute meals as well as oven-ready options.Gousto <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/8713">raised USD 230 million </a>in February 2022. The round followed an infusion of <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/7648">USD 150 million </a>in January 2022. Both rounds were led by Softbank’s Vision Fund 2. The company intended to use the funds to double its tech team by the end of 2022.The company reported revenue growth of 67% YoY to GBP 315 million (~USD 393.8 million) in <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/10005">FY2021. </a>Gousto reported that it had sold 90 million+ meals in 2021 compared to 53 million meals the previous year. EBITDA was up 10% YoY to GBP 20 million (~USD 25 million) in FY2021, while net cash from operations reported growth of 136% YoY to GBP 37 million (~USD 46.3 million).

Gousto

HelloFresh delivers weekly meal kits, containing pre-portioned fresh ingredients and step-by-step recipes, to its subscribers in 18 countries (as of October 2022) across Europe, North America, Australia, and New Zealand, with a global base of 8.0 million active customers as of Q2 2022. Its meal kits are priced between USD 7.49–10.99 per meal, in-line with competitors Blue Apron and Marley Spoon, with consumers subscribing to a weekly (rather than monthly) service, which enables more flexibility to skip weeks. HelloFresh launched its own delivery fleets in the <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/24686">US </a>and the <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/18306">UK </a>in 2023.HelloFresh has grown its US presence and product offerings through a combination of acquisitions and organic growth, aligned to its multi-tier brand strategy. The company acquired premium brand Green Chef in March 2018, and subsequently, extended its menu offerings to include organic meals for US customers, including special diets such as ketogenic and paleo. In <a href="https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/online/hellofresh-launches-specialist-diet-meal-kit-brand-green-chef-in-uk/655593.article">April 2021 </a>, following its success in the US market, Green Chef was expanded to the UK. In August 2022, Green Chef was also launched in the Netherlands. The company’s acquisition of Factor (a ready-to-eat meal company) in December 2020 was aimed at expanding into the convenience-focused customer segment. In terms of organic growth, the company launched its value brand, EveryPlate, in 2018 for budget-conscious consumers, featuring meal kits that average around USD 4.99 per serving.Overseas, HelloFresh acquired a ~10% stake in Russia’s largest meal-kit provider Chefmarket, in September 2021, through a cash capital increase. HelloFresh has also announced plans to acquire Australia-based ready-meals firm Youfoodz (announced in July 2021), which would expand its customer base in Australia as well as its presence in the ready-to-heat category.&nbsp;Key customers and partnershipsIn&nbsp;<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/34379">September 2024</a>, HelloFresh partnered with the online food delivery platform Just Eat Takeaway (JET) to launch a twelve-week delivery trial of HelloFresh meals in&nbsp;Newcastle and London's Hackney. Under the&nbsp;partnership JET’s customers can order from eight HelloFresh recipes using&nbsp;JET’s online ordering platform.

HelloFresh

Splendid Spoon provides single-serve, plant-based meals from a choice of more than 50 different meal options. Customers can select one of three different meal plans, which include smoothies, bowls and noodle bowls with prices ranging from USD 65 to USD 185. Meals may be customized according to a client’s meal preference. Splendid Spoon meals are vegan, free of gluten and soy, low in sodium and sugar and made with non-GMO produce. Also, the company delivers to 48 states across the US.In February 2022, the company raised <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/8375">USD 12 million in a Series B funding </a>round led by Nicoya. The proceeds were to be used to expand its product line by way of new products, categories, and meal programs. The company also planned to make additions to its workforce, which has grown to 34 people from 15 in 2021.

Splendid Spoon

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 London-based Fresh Fitness Food delivers personalized meal plans under health and fitness-themed categories: Lean gains, fat loss, enhance energy, build muscle. The meals are made with locally-sourced ingredients such as free-range eggs, grass-fed beef, and 100% antibiotic-free meat and fish. Each meal is created in collaboration with a Michelin star trained menu consultant, head chef, and nutritionist. The meal plans cater to vegetarians, vegans, and pescatarians. The company says that 1,000 prepared meal bags are delivered to customers in London daily.
 
 The upfront payment cost of prepared meal plans starts at 3 meals per day for 5 days at GBP 140 (approximately USD 187) to 6 meals per day for 5 days at GBP 215 (approximately USD 287). Meal plans can be made for up to 200 days in advance with juices, shakes, savoury snacks, and sweet snacks available to accompany the meals.
 
</div>

Fresh Fitness Food

Platforms that offer ready-to-cook meal kits to individuals who are interested in cooking, but have limited time or skills. Meal kits usually include recipes with step-by-step instructions along with pre-portioned ingredients. Food delivery is often carried out by independent contract workers who are either registered with the platform or employed directly by the platform.

Platforms that prepare and deliver meals based on rotating menus that allow the customer to choose a meal plan of up to multiple dishes for a week with a low level of consumer involvement in cooking and plating. Food delivery is often carried out by independent contract workers who are either registered with the platform or employed directly by the platform.

On-demand delivery platforms that offer a wide range of items (such as various cuisines, groceries, etc)

On-demand delivery platforms that offer specific types of food or cuisine

Infrastructure providers that offer delivery or dispatch management systems

Infrastructure providers that offer white label online ordering websites and apps for restaurants to build their own in-house solutions

Infrastructure providers that offer solutions to help restaurants integrate and centralize online ordering and delivery systems from multiple third party vendors

Solutions in the "in-house ordering solutions" segment allow restaurants to build custom websites, menus, etc.

Most solutions available in "in-house ordering solutions" provide B2B SaaS solutions

Some OFD players such as Uber and Grubhub provide autonomous food delivery services

Thistle is a meal delivery service founded in 2013 and headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area. The company focuses on providing plant-forward, nutrient-dense meals that are gluten-free, dairy-free, and free from refined sugars, artificial sweeteners, preservatives, and additives. Thistle's meals are designed by nutritionists and chefs to offer a balance of protein, fiber, and healthy fats. The company delivers fully prepared, ready-to-eat or heat-and-eat meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as snacks, sides, and cold-pressed juices.
Thistle's menu rotates weekly and features globally-inspired dishes with an emphasis on seasonal ingredients. While primarily plant-based, Thistle offers the option to add sustainably sourced meat proteins to lunch and dinner meals for an additional cost. The company aims to make nutritious eating convenient and accessible, with meals starting at around USD 11.50 per serving, depending on the plan selected. Thistle currently delivers to select areas on the West Coast, including California, Oregon, and Washington, as well as parts of the Northeast, from Connecticut to Washington D.C.
Key customers and partnerships
Thistle partners with local farmers and producers to source ingredients sustainably. The company has focused on expanding its customer base, growing by 50% between 2019 and 2021. Thistle has also formed partnerships to support its growth, securing USD 5.7 million in Series A funding in 2020 and USD 10.3 million in Series B funding in 2021, both led by PowerPlant Ventures. The company works with local hunger organizations, donating hundreds of meals each week. Thistle has also implemented initiatives to reduce its environmental impact, including purchasing carbon offsets for customer deliveries and using recyclable packaging materials.

Wholly Veggie is a Canadian plant-based food company that specializes in producing vegetable-forward frozen foods, including appetizers, snacks, and entrées. Wholly Veggie's product line features food items such as cauliflower wings, mozzarella-style sticks, sweet potato popcorn, and various savory and sweet plant-based snacks.Wholly Veggie's products are made with simple, whole-food ingredients and are claimed to be free from additives, preservatives, gluten, nuts, and soy. The company uses vegetables as the main ingredients in its products, primarily focusing on cauliflower, sweet potatoes, and other nutrient-rich vegetables.&nbsp;The company’s appetizer snacks, such as the Buffalo Cauliflower Wings, are priced at USD 8 for 250 g packs, while lunch entrées, like the Cheezy Cauliflower &amp; Broccoli Entrée, start from USD 6 for 284 g packs on its website, as of November 2024.&nbsp;The Wholly Veggie brand experienced significant growth since its inception in 2016. In 2021, the company experienced a surge in popularity following the launch of its cauliflower wings and expansion into 1,200 Target locations in the US. As of 2024, Wholly Veggie products were available in over 6,000 retail outlets across the US and Canada, including major chains such as Target, Whole Foods Market, Sprouts Farmers Market, Walmart, and Loblaws.&nbsp;Key customers and partnershipsWholly Veggie successfully expanded its presence in major retail chains across North America. In November 2022, Wholly Veggie announced the distribution of its Mozzarella Style Cheese Sticks at 705 Target locations, further expanding its reach in the US market through its partnership with Target.&nbsp;In November 2021, Wholly Veggie partnered with Outcast Foods to incorporate upcycled cauliflower powder into its product line and launch mozzarella and jalapeno cheddar, demonstrating its commitment to reducing food waste.

Wholly Veggie

Gardein, a subsidiary of Conagra Foods, is a plant-based food company that specializes in creating meat alternatives since 2003. It offers a diverse range of frozen products designed to mimic the taste and texture of various meats. The company's product line includes plant-based versions of chicken, beef, pork, fish, and more. Gardein's products are made from a blend of non-GMO soy, wheat, pea proteins, and other plant-based ingredients.As of October 2024, its product offerings were extensive, ranging from Crispy Tenders and Mandarin Orange Crispy Chick'n to Fishless Filets, Plant-based Jerky, and more. The company also produced breakfast sausages, meatballs, and even canned soups and chilis. Many of Gardein's products are frozen for convenience, but it also offers refrigerated and shelf-stable options.&nbsp;In January 2020, Gardein introduced its Ultimate Plant-Based Burger, made from pea protein, to compete with other popular plant-based burgers. Gardein also developed products in the plant-based hot dog and sausage categories.&nbsp;Its prices vary from store to store. However at Walmart, as of 2024, its Be’f Burger and Chicken Strips were priced at USD 4.9, the Chick’n Fried Rice started at USD 4, and its canned soups and chilis started at USD 3.As of October 2024, the company’s products were available in major retailers across North America, including Walmart, Target, Whole Foods, and Instacart. Gardein’s products were also available in select stores and supermarket chains across Australia and New Zealand, such as IGA stores, Countdown, New World Supermarkets, and Pak n' Save.

Gardein

Strong Roots, a subsidiary of McCain Foods, is an Irish plant-based frozen food company. The company offers a range of vegetable-forward products including cauliflower hash browns, mixed root vegetable fries, veggie burgers, and bites.&nbsp;In October 2024, Strong Roots launched Air Bites, a product range designed for air frying, catering to the growing popularity of air fryers. The Air Bites were available in three varieties—Crispy Spinach &amp; Carrot, Crispy Pea &amp; Lemon, and Crispy Veg.Strong Roots has positioned itself as a challenger brand aiming to "fix the freezer aisle" by providing convenient, healthy, and sustainable plant-based options. The company claims its products are made with simple, whole-plant ingredients and are claimed to be free from artificial additives.&nbsp;The company was acquired by the Canadian frozen food giant McCain Foods in April 2024 for an undisclosed sum. Following the acquisition, Strong Roots continued to operate as a distinct business unit within McCain, with plans to scale its brand globally. As of October 2024, Strong Roots’ products were available in over 10,000 stores across multiple countries including Ireland, the UK, the US, Australia, and parts of Europe and Asia. The company also established international branches in England and the US.&nbsp;Strong Roots became a certified B Corporation in 2020, demonstrating its commitment to environmental and social responsibility. The company introduced carbon footprint labeling on its packaging in 2022, allowing consumers to easily understand the climate impact of its products.&nbsp;Key customers and partnershipsAs of October 2024, Strong Roots had collaborated with several international retailers including Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, ASDA, Morrisons, Ocado, Kings Food Markets, Tesco, Whole Foods Market, Amazon, and others.&nbsp;

Strong Roots

Happi Foodi is a frozen food company that develops and commercializes a diverse portfolio of chef-inspired frozen meals and products. As of October 2024, the company offered a range of breakfasts, appetizers, entrées, pizzas, and veggie side dishes. Happi Foodi's product line comprises ready-to-heat meals, keto bowls, and veggie sides, focusing on providing convenient, flavorful, and nutrient-rich meal solutions.&nbsp;The company aims to offer high-quality, affordable healthy meal options that cater to various dietary preferences. In addition to its proprietary Happi Foodi label, the company also expanded its portfolio through partnerships and brand-building initiatives, such as its partnership with Barstool Sports' One Bite Pizza.Key customers and partnershipsAs of October 2024, Happi Foodi's products were available for purchase at various retailers including Walmart, Meijer, Safeway, Albertsons, Winn Dixie, and Bi-Lo stores.In December 2020, the company announced its partnership with professional golfer Danielle Kang to donate USD 100,000 worth of meals to local food banks of Kang's choosing. The first donation benefited Three Square Food Bank in Southern Nevada. Happi Foodi also partnered with Snoop Dogg in July 2023 to launch a new line of ice cream called Dr. Bombay Ice Cream in seven flavors at Walmart stores.&nbsp;In September 2021, it partnered with Barstool Sports, expanding its product portfolio with the launch of a portfolio of ready-to-heat pizzas under the One Bite brand, available across ​​3,500 Walmart stores and online at Walmart.com, OneBite.app, FreshDirect.com, and HappiFoodi.com.&nbsp;

Happi Foodi

Saffron Road is a food company specializing in world cuisine frozen entrées, shelf-stable meals, simmer sauces, and snacks. As of October 2024, Saffron Road offered various global cuisines, including Indian, Thai, Mexican, Middle Eastern, and Korean cuisines. The company's products were available in over 25,000 retail stores across the US.Saffron Road claims it uses high-quality, ethically sourced ingredients in its products. All of its offerings are halal-certified and most are also gluten-free, kosher, USDA Organic, and Non-GMO Project Verified. The company claims it never uses antibiotics, artificial ingredients, GMOs, or protein isolates in its products and that it uses only 100% vegetarian-fed and humanely raised animals.As of 2024, the company expanded its product line to include over 50 items, ranging from frozen entrées and shelf-stable meal pouches to simmer sauces and organic crunchy chickpea snacks. Some of Saffron Road's most popular frozen entrées include Chicken Tikka Masala, Chicken Pad Thai, and Chicken Biryani. In July 2023, Saffron Road announced its plans to target the Canadian meat and dairy alternatives market for expansion.The company uses microwaveable pouches instead of glass containers for its simmer sauces, claiming to reduce energy use in transportation by over 30% and decrease its overall carbon footprint by 70%.Key customers and partnershipsAs of October 2024, Saffron Road established partnerships with major retailers across the US. The company's products were sold in over 25,000 stores nationwide, including Walmart, Kroger, Whole Foods Market, Target, Publix, Wegmans, Costco, and Amazon.Whole Foods Market played a crucial role in Saffron Road's early success, being the first national retailer to launch the brand in August 2010. The partnership helped Saffron Road reach a broader audience beyond the Muslim community, appealing to health-conscious consumers and those interested in global cuisines.

Saffron Road

Creating snack products optimized for air fryers, ensuring even cooking and maintaining taste and texture when air-fried

Enhancing snack texture to achieve a satisfying, crunchy bite, elevating the sensory appeal of snacking experiences

Frozen meals that preserve fresh-like quality, maintaining taste and texture as if freshly made

Fully cooked meals or meal kits that are quick and easy to prepare, reducing preparation time and effort

Fully cooked meals that require no refrigeration and can be easily prepared by microwaving

Companies in this hub deals with providing meals that align with specific dietary requirements/preferences of customers

Thistle

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