Munchery

Munchery is a food delivery service that was founded in 2010. The company is based in San Francisco, California, and operates in several cities across the United States. Munchery's business model is centered around delivering chef-prepared meals to customers' homes.

History

Munchery was founded by Tri Tran and Conrad Chu. The idea for the company came about when Tran, a software engineer, found it difficult to find time to cook for his family. He teamed up with Chu, a fellow engineer, to create a service that would deliver fresh, healthy meals to busy individuals and families.

In 2015, Munchery raised $85 million in a funding round led by Menlo Ventures. This brought the company's total funding to over $117 million. Despite this, Munchery faced financial difficulties and was forced to shut down operations in 2018.

Business Model

Munchery's business model was unique in the food delivery industry. Instead of partnering with restaurants to deliver their food, Munchery hired chefs to prepare meals in-house. These meals were then delivered to customers' homes. Customers could order meals on demand or subscribe to a weekly meal plan.

Munchery's meals were prepared in a central kitchen and then chilled for delivery. This allowed the company to deliver to a large area and maintain the quality of their food. However, this model also led to high operating costs, which contributed to the company's financial difficulties.

Criticism and Controversy

Munchery faced criticism for its business practices. In particular, the company was accused of wasting large amounts of food. Former employees reported that the company regularly threw away up to 16% of the food it prepared. Munchery was also criticized for its treatment of employees, with reports of poor working conditions and low pay.

Closure

In January 2019, Munchery announced that it was ceasing operations immediately. The company's sudden closure left many customers and employees in the lurch. Customers reported that they were not refunded for their orders, and employees were not given any notice of the closure.

See Also

• Food delivery service
• Meal kit
• Blue Apron
• HelloFresh