LOS ANGELES — Meal kit company Chef’d has partnered with Smithfield Foods, Inc. to bring its meal kits to grocery stores nationwide. Chef’d meals — once available only online — are now available in 27 states at more than a dozen retailers, including Costco, Hy-Vee, Harris Teeter, Tops, Weis and Gelson’s Markets.
“Meal kits are the fastest growing channel across the entire food industry,” said Sean Butler, senior vice-president of retail at Chef’d. “The expansion of Chef’d into retail enables us to serve the large group of shoppers who have never tried a meal kit but are eager for non-subscription solutions. Our goal is to give more shoppers more meals in more places to help them eat better, save time, and explore new flavors.”
Chef’d meal kits serve two or more and feature pre-portioned, ready-to-cook ingredients, including herbs, produce and U.S.D.A. Choice proteins. The in-store offerings, which Chef’d describes as “elevated versions of weeknight dinner classics,” have total preparation times of 10 to 30 minutes. Varieties include 20 clove garlic chicken with mashed purple potatoes and spinach, chicken pad thai with carrots and sugar snap peas, and black truffle butter sirloin steaks with roasted garlic potatoes and asparagus.
“Chef’d looks forward to rapid expansion in the coming months,” said Kyle Ransford, chief executive officer of Chef’d. “As the market leader in the industry, we are dedicated to investing in new technology to continue to enhance the at-home cooking experience and to provide greater value to our customers.”
This partnership with Chef’d is not Smithfield’s first dealing with the meal kit mogul. In August 2017, Smithfield invested $25 million in the company as part of its Series B round of funding. Other investors in the round included the Campbell Soup Co. and Fresh Direct.