Purple Carrot

Not to be confused with purple carrot.

Purple Carrot is a Needham, Massachusetts-based, and 100% plant-based meal kit company. Founded by Andy Levitt, it offers both prepared meals as well as meal kits to subscribers weekly.^[5][6] As stated from a 2022 article in Cosmopolitan, “each Purple Carrot meal kit results in 72% less carbon being released into the atmosphere as compared to the standard American meal.”^[7]

Purple Carrot

Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Meal kits
Founded	July 2014
Founder	Andy Levitt
Headquarters	Needham, Massachusetts[1]
Area served	United States
Key people	Rishi Bhatia, CEO[2]
Services	Meal delivery service
Revenue	$43 million[3] (2018)
Number of employees	70+[1]
Parent	Oisix ra daichi Inc.[4]
Website	www.purplecarrot.com

Purple Carrot was acquired by the Japanese meal-kit service Oisix ra daichi Inc. in May 2019 for $12.8 million.^[8] Its CEO is Rishi Bhatia.^[9]

About

When founded in 2014, Purple Carrot was the first all plant-based meal kit service in the United States, coining the slogan the "New American Diet".^[10]

Consumers can choose between two different packages. Either a three-night meal plan which serves two people ($68) or a two-night meal plan that serves four ($74). The meal prep times vary, depending on which meals are being cooked, but claim to fall within the 30-minute range.^[10] Mark Bittman, its chief innovation officer in 2015, says they can take up to 60 minutes, depending on the skill of the cook.^[11]

Purple Carrot was acquired by the Japan's largest meal-kit and organic food delivery service Oisix ra daichi Inc. in May 2019 for $12.8 million.^[3][4]

In May 2022, Rishi Bhatia was appointed the new CEO of the company.^[12] Previously he was the chief technology officer at Purple Carrot. Bhatia stated in an interview with Modern Retail, “We want to continue to deliver unique flavors, but also increase our value proposition through convenience and flexibility, as cooking habits evolve."^[12]

In July of 2023, Purple Carrot was awarded a Blue Ribbon by PETA by not obtaining coconut milk from Thailand. This act is in reaction to the knowledge that was released about Thai Coconut companies kidnapping monkeys and forcing them into "coconut-picking machines".^[13]

See also

• Delivery Hero
• Marley Spoon
• Postmates
• OrderUp

References

1. "The Purple Carrot: Revenue, Competitors, Alternatives". growjo.com. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
2. Carrot, Purple. "PURPLE CARROT APPOINTS RISHI BHATIA AS NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
3. Crets, Stephanie (May 24, 2019). "Roundup: A Tokyo-based meal-kit company buys Purple Carrot". Digital Commerce 360. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
4. "Purple Carrot to Be Acquired by Largest Japanese Organic Food Delivery Service, Oisix ra daichi Inc., Fueling Opportunity to Bring Plant-Based Meal Kits Global". www.businesswire.com. May 22, 2019. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
5. Strom, Stephanie (November 2, 2015). "Mark Bittman to Join the Meal Kit Firm Purple Carrot". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
6. Severson, Kim (April 4, 2016). "It's Dinner in a Box. But Are Meal Delivery Kits Cooking?". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
7. Wagner, Olivia (December 15, 2022). "Behold: 10 Prepared Meal Delivery Services That Might Just Change Your Life?". Cosmopolitan. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
8. "Purple Carrot to Be Acquired by Largest Japanese Organic Food Delivery Service, Oisix ra daichi Inc., Fueling Opportunity to". Bloomberg.com. May 22, 2019.
9. Barkho, Gabriela (July 13, 2022). "How Purple Carrot is moving beyond meal kits with flexible offerings". Modern Retail.
10. Houck, Brenna (November 2, 2015). "Why Mark Bittman Is Joining Purple Carrot, a Plant-Based Meal Kit Delivery Service". Eater. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
11. Aubrey, Allison (November 2, 2015). "From Gray Lady To Purple Carrot: Bittman Adds Spice To Vegan Meal Startup". NPR.
12. Barkho, Gabriela (July 13, 2022). "How Purple Carrot is moving beyond meal kits with flexible offerings". Modern Retail. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
13. "Purple Carrot Wins Blue Ribbon for Dropping Coconut Milk Tied to Monkey Labor". PETA. July 20, 2023. Retrieved January 3, 2024.