Abbie Toner prepares meals every week for about 40 clients through her startup Eat Smart. Photos by Michael Thompson.
A local startup is trying to tap into what it sees as a growing market within the food industry.
Abbie Toner late last year launched Eat Smart, a meal subscription service to cater to busy professionals looking for a healthy, convenient lunch option.
Eat Smart sells pre-cooked meals on a subscription basis. Subscribers can pick up meals at co-working spaces Gather and 804RVA. The company can also make deliveries in Richmond, Chesterfield and Henrico.
“Delivery and convenience is sort of what makes it work for people,” Toner said.
After more than six months in business, Toner said she has about 40 customers and delivers about 150 meals a week. Two meals a week cost about $20, five meals cost about $40 and 10 meals runs about $80. Toner said most of her customers are professionals, but she said families and retirees have also begun ordering from Eat Smart.
Toner has been experimenting with a new recipe for Kefta turkey meatballs.
“It started as lunch for busy professionals,” Toner said. “I’m realizing there are other avenues for growth.”
The meal-kit delivery industry has grown in recent years worldwide. Last year, HelloFresh and Blue Apron, two of the larger players in that segment of the food industry, each raised $50 million in investment money. Both companies ship packages of fresh ingredients for customers to cook specific meals.
“It’s for people that want convenience and want to be thoughtful about what they’re putting in their bodies,” Toner said.
While Eat Smart sells precooked meals and caters more to the lunch crowd, Toner said the market for lunch options is diversifying, and traditional players are taking note. In March, McDonald’s reported a 4 percent drop in sales at stores open at least a year. The company blamed the decrease on customers’ changing preferences.
“People want to get away from fast food, but they still want something that’s easy,” Toner said. “It’s a niche that’s a little bit different.”
Toner also sees grocery stores as competition for premade meals on the go.
As she picks up more clients, Toner said she hopes to eventually buy more ingredients locally.
“It does seem like particularly grocery stores are getting more competitive in what they’re offering,” Toner said. “I think the food I’m offering is better than most of those options.”
Toner, who also works as a consultant to nonprofits, said Eat Smart meals typically consist of fresh vegetables, various meats, beans and whole grains. She makes a menu each week with five meals subscribers can choose from. They can also pick between a regular and large meal size. The meals can be reheated in the microwave or eaten cold.
Toner buys her ingredients from wholesaler Restaurant Depot but hopes to buy from more local, independent sellers as Eat Smart grows.
Since January, Toner has made the meals in a shared commercial kitchen space in the Museum District. The space is also used by Ginger Juice, a cold pressed juice startup. Toner had previously operated out of Kitchen Thyme, a commercial kitchen space in the West End.
“I really wanted to be in the city,” Toner said. “I live in the city and also work out of 804RVA.”
Toner first started using the Fan’s 804RVA as a place to do her contract nonprofit consulting work. When she started making meals for her fellow office mates, they encouraged her to build a business out of the idea.
“I don’t think it would have occurred to me start a business if I weren’t working in this kind of environment,” Toner said. “I was cooking for people here as a sort of a hobby, and it just grew from there.”
As Eat Smart continues to grow, Toner said she hopes to add more drop-off sites and expand her home delivery services.
“I’m realizing that’s the cornerstone to making this work,” Toner said. “I think a big goal for me will be getting 100 customers.”
Abbie Toner prepares meals every week for about 40 clients through her startup Eat Smart. Photos by Michael Thompson.
A local startup is trying to tap into what it sees as a growing market within the food industry.
Abbie Toner late last year launched Eat Smart, a meal subscription service to cater to busy professionals looking for a healthy, convenient lunch option.
Eat Smart sells pre-cooked meals on a subscription basis. Subscribers can pick up meals at co-working spaces Gather and 804RVA. The company can also make deliveries in Richmond, Chesterfield and Henrico.
“Delivery and convenience is sort of what makes it work for people,” Toner said.
After more than six months in business, Toner said she has about 40 customers and delivers about 150 meals a week. Two meals a week cost about $20, five meals cost about $40 and 10 meals runs about $80. Toner said most of her customers are professionals, but she said families and retirees have also begun ordering from Eat Smart.
Toner has been experimenting with a new recipe for Kefta turkey meatballs.
“It started as lunch for busy professionals,” Toner said. “I’m realizing there are other avenues for growth.”
The meal-kit delivery industry has grown in recent years worldwide. Last year, HelloFresh and Blue Apron, two of the larger players in that segment of the food industry, each raised $50 million in investment money. Both companies ship packages of fresh ingredients for customers to cook specific meals.
“It’s for people that want convenience and want to be thoughtful about what they’re putting in their bodies,” Toner said.
While Eat Smart sells precooked meals and caters more to the lunch crowd, Toner said the market for lunch options is diversifying, and traditional players are taking note. In March, McDonald’s reported a 4 percent drop in sales at stores open at least a year. The company blamed the decrease on customers’ changing preferences.
“People want to get away from fast food, but they still want something that’s easy,” Toner said. “It’s a niche that’s a little bit different.”
Toner also sees grocery stores as competition for premade meals on the go.
As she picks up more clients, Toner said she hopes to eventually buy more ingredients locally.
“It does seem like particularly grocery stores are getting more competitive in what they’re offering,” Toner said. “I think the food I’m offering is better than most of those options.”
Toner, who also works as a consultant to nonprofits, said Eat Smart meals typically consist of fresh vegetables, various meats, beans and whole grains. She makes a menu each week with five meals subscribers can choose from. They can also pick between a regular and large meal size. The meals can be reheated in the microwave or eaten cold.
Toner buys her ingredients from wholesaler Restaurant Depot but hopes to buy from more local, independent sellers as Eat Smart grows.
Since January, Toner has made the meals in a shared commercial kitchen space in the Museum District. The space is also used by Ginger Juice, a cold pressed juice startup. Toner had previously operated out of Kitchen Thyme, a commercial kitchen space in the West End.
“I really wanted to be in the city,” Toner said. “I live in the city and also work out of 804RVA.”
Toner first started using the Fan’s 804RVA as a place to do her contract nonprofit consulting work. When she started making meals for her fellow office mates, they encouraged her to build a business out of the idea.
“I don’t think it would have occurred to me start a business if I weren’t working in this kind of environment,” Toner said. “I was cooking for people here as a sort of a hobby, and it just grew from there.”
As Eat Smart continues to grow, Toner said she hopes to add more drop-off sites and expand her home delivery services.
“I’m realizing that’s the cornerstone to making this work,” Toner said. “I think a big goal for me will be getting 100 customers.”
This is a much-needed service for busy professionals! Abbie does a great job. We love having her product/service at Gather.
Abbie’s lunches are a great benefit-by-proxy since I work out of 804RVA for my startup; even more so since I lined my at-804RVA days with her deliveries.
Her food is always delicious, and I love how Abbie asks the customers for feedback and adjusts the menu based off popularity and customer suggestions.
Can’t wait to see how Eat Smart grows from here!