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It’s a tough time for meal kit delivery services. The popular service Blue Apron launched its IPO last year, falling short of initial expectations. The stock has struggled ever since, causing investors to question the viability of the industry as a whole.
But newcomer Sun Basket has managed to raise $57.8 million in funding in January despite the odds, and despite the fact that it’s not yet profitable.
According to Fast Company Magazine, Silicon Valley venture firm August Capital led the funding round and values Sun Basket at more than $500 million. Sun Basket saw revenue quadruple in 2017, with annual revenue totaling roughly $275 million. While other meal kit industries have continued to grow revenues, none have managed to get such a nod of confidence from investors.
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Many women love clothes, but don’t like the process of going to stores and trying things on. Online clothing retailers have gained momentum in recent years, causing long-time brick and mortar retailers to lose revenue and make changes, including closing their physical stores.
While customers might prefer the convenience of online shopping, they are still faced with the headache of returning items that don’t fit and waiting for replacements to arrive. So is there a happy medium that combines the best of both worlds?
Clothing start-up Reformation seems to have hit the sweet spot. By combining technology, environmentally-friendly processes, and sleek physical stores, Reformation has not only raked in profits, but has managed to expand when other retail stores are closing.
The company closed out 2017 with $100 million in revenue. According to a feature in Business Insider, longtime brand J. Crew only made a fraction of this over the same period. Reformation also raised $25 million in Series B funding, and has accumulated some celebrity fans like Rhianna and Karlie Kloss.
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Popular online fitness company Daily Burn is adding another platform to its collection of online fitness programs: audio workouts.
Audio workouts are meant to help provide personal coaching to people during their routine workouts, whether it’s running, pilates, or yoga, to help keep them motivated and progressing. Audio workouts will include tips on posture, form, and when to pick up or slow down speed, giving users guidance through each workout.
Think of it as having a trainer in your ear, telling you when to pick up the pace, correct your posture or encourage you to keep going when you get tired.
Now available to premium members, Daily Burn Audio Workouts include interval runs (outdoor or treadmill), beginner yoga, Pilates, strength and conditioning workouts, and core-centric sequences. They also offer quick meditations you can do every day to help you stay focused and centered.
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Oprah was the first recent celebrity to be a game-changer for the Weight Watchers brand, increasing its visibility and stock price along with its customer base. Now, the diet company has added DJ Khaled to its stable of endorsers, and once again watched its stock price boost 8% in only one day.
Music mogul Khaled will represent Weight Watchers as a social media ambassador, including documenting his experience and progress on Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The announcement was made on Monday January 1st, and the company’s stock price rose on Tuesday.
Khaled brings a huge following to the table, with 3.4 million followers on Facebook, 8.9 million on Instagram, and 3.9 million on Twitter. He’s very active on Snapchat, and posts frequently about his personal life, which interested Weight Watchers and prompted them to reach out, according to Fortune Magazine.
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Popular meal kit delivery service Blue Apron is partnering with the experts Whole30 to bring new meal kit recipes to customers this New Year, aimed at helping them achieve healthy eating goals.
According to Blue Apron, customers will see two recipes from each weekly two-person menu, which will be marked “Whole30.” Blue Apron will offer their signature pre-portioned and pre-packed ingredients to go along with the Whole30 recipes.
Whole30’s meal plan is rather strict and aimed at Paleo eaters, emphasizing whole foods and banning sugar, alcohol, grains, legumes soy and dairy – good for those participating in a January food cleanse. Some of the recipes customers will see include seared steaks and warm lemon salsa verde with roasted broccoli and sweet potatoes, or Mexican-spiced barramundi with kale and avocado salad.
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On the heels of allowing more zero-point foods to its weight loss program, Weight Watchers has now introduced its WW Freestyle Program.
The new system is intended to make it easier for people to adhere to the point system while still continuing to lose weight. Weight Watchers noted that in its six-week clinical trial, the WW Freestyle Program produced better weight loss results among participants than in clinical trials of previous Weight Watchers programs.
The point system is a trademark of Weight Watchers programs, where people aren’t tied to a restrictive diet of particular foods but are held accountable for their food choices. When a participant eats something indulgent like a dessert or burger, they accumulate points called SmartPoints (and are only allowed a certain amount per week), and so they are incentivized to eat healthier the rest of the week and avoid high-fat, high-sugar choices.
