The latest news, trends, analysis, interviews and podcasts from the global food and beverage industry
FreshRealm has announced the acquisition of Marley Spoon's US operational assets and supply chain infrastructure in a deal valued at $24 million. Founded in 2014, Marley Spoon is a meal kit delivery service, offering fresh ingredients and easy-to-follow recipes. As part of the transaction, Marley Spoon will transfer ownership of three US production and fulfilment facilities located in Newark, New Jersey, Tracy, California and Dallas, Texas, to FreshRealm. The deal is expected to boost Marley Spoon's margin and reduce costs. At the same time, Marley Spoon is in the process of acquiring BistroMD, a "food as medicine" subscription service, offering consumers convenient, ready-to-eat meals. The acquisition will lead to the integration of BistroMD into the FreshRealm platform. Following the completion of the transaction, FreshRealm will be responsible for fulfilling all orders for Marley Spoon's US customers nationwide, including for BistroMD, Martha & Marley Spoon and Dinnerly brands. According to the company, "integration with FreshRealm's platform enables partners to diversify their fresh meals offerings while enjoying the benefits of scale at a fraction of the cost". Michael Lippold, founder and CEO of FreshRealm, said: "This strategic partnership with Marley Spoon marks a milestone for FreshRealm in shaping the future of the Fresh Meals solutions space and transforming this $900 billion market". "We are thrilled to empower meal providers like Marley Spoon and BistroMD with what they need to deliver on scale and efficiency. Our partnership will supercharge these established brands' ability to build innovative offerings for their customers and will lead to broader innovation in the Fresh Meals industry." Fabian Siegel, founder and CEO of Marley Spoon, added: "I am excited to form this strategic partnership with Michael and his team at FreshRealm. Both of our companies are founder-led, and we both share a passion for delighting our customers as well as driving excellence in processes across the whole organisation."