Coca-Cola pairs with meal kit firm Chef’d on soft drink suggestions

Coca-Cola has teamed up with Chef’d – the Campbell’s-backed meal kit provider – to incorporate soft drink pairings into its recipe boxes.

The partnership draws on Coke brands including Dasani, classic Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Life and Gold Peak iced tea. As part of the tie-in, the drinks are paired with recipes including barbecue baby back ribs, shrimp yakisoba, and bacon gruyére cheeseburger.

Dubbed Refreshing Meal Inspirations, the series will be available alongside other Chef’d meal offerings. The company has previously teamed up with brands like Hershey and Quaker – as well as special interest groups such as diet brand Atkins and the American Diabetes Association – to increase the variety of its meal plans.

Each meal comes with pre-portioned ingredients and will be delivered to customers in as little as 24 hours as part of Chef’s subscription-free meal kit service.

“Coca-Cola has long been celebrated by chefs as an ideal complement to any meal,” a company spokesperson said. “And while Refreshing Meal Inspirations certainly hosts pairings with the company’s flagship brand, Chef’d has [also] created a variety of easy-to-prepare meals paired with flavoured Dasani sparkling waters and Gold Peak teas.”

Chef’d received investment of $10 million from Campbell’s in May, as the chief executive of the soup maker vowed to increase the company’s digital capabilities.

Campbell’s became Chef’d’s largest strategic investor and received a seat on the company’s board of directors.

It’s one of a number of companies – including Unilever-backed Sun Basket, Nestlé-backed Freshly, and retail giant Amazon – helping to maintain an upsurge in the US’ meal kit delivery segment.