LOS ANGELES — SnackNation, a technology-enabled snack delivery service, has acquired EdgiLife, a consumer insights and data analytics company, and its Love With Food healthy snack box subscription service. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
EdgiLife’s proprietary insights platform seeks to enable emerging food, beverage and C.P.G. brands to “tap into valuable customer intelligence while placing products in the hands of the right hyper-targeted consumers,” the company said. The technology allows companies to test products with highly specific consumer groups then analyze and filter results based on demographic and consumer purchase intent. EdgiLife’s platform is used by such companies as Bimbo Bakeries USA, Clif Bar, Hershey Co. and Welch’s.
“This acquisition allows us to offer our brand partners access to a larger customer base while providing them with deeper consumer insights and more refined data analytics,” said Sean Kelly, chief executive officer of SnackNation. “This will enable brands to better understand their core customer, which in turn will help them more effectively target their most profitable customer segments.”
EdgiLife’s Love With Food business was founded in Foster City, Calif., in 2012. The subscription service delivers boxes of curated healthy snacks to subscribers’ doors each month, including diet-specific options such as gluten-free, vegan and paleo. Some of its product partners include Chef’s Cut, Nature’s Bakery, Beanitos, Ocean’s Halo and Way Better Snacks.
“I founded Love With Food to disrupt the inefficient way C.P.G. companies traditionally gain product insights by creating an easy and affordable way to collect data that can deliver brands a substantial competitive advantage,” said Aihui Ong, founder of EdgiLife and new senior vice-president of data and insights for SnackNation. “This acquisition feels right because of our companies’ shared focus on consumer data and our alignment on the essential elements of core values and organizational culture. Together we’ll be able to expedite our progress and provide elevated services to both the brand partners and consumers we love and serve.”
SnackNation recently secured $12 million in Series B funding led by 3L Capital. When announcing the funding in late May, the company said it planned to use the capital to scale its direct-to-consumer home delivery business and position itself as “the go-to marketplace for emerging C.P.G. brands.”
“More than ever, consumers demand convenience in accessing their favorite foods,” said Ryan Schneider, president of SnackNation. “Brands need to respond to this changing market and think outside of traditional distribution channels. That’s why combining SnackNation and its thousands of office locations with Love With Food and its thousands of home customers is such a powerful partnership.”