Thistle

Thistle is a direct-to-consumer meal delivery service that ships fully prepared, ready-to-eat meals, snacks and cold-pressed juices to customers' homes or workplaces. Customers select from breakfast, lunch and dinner options across a menu that rotates weekly according to what is in season, with both plant-based and meat protein choices available.

The menus are developed jointly by nutritionists and chefs, and are positioned around a high-protein, high-fiber, whole-food approach. The company states that lunches and dinners contain 20-40g of protein and 10-15g of fiber, that daily protein can reach up to 100g, and that menus incorporate more than 40 superfood ingredients such as turmeric, maca, spirulina, ginger, matcha, chia and moringa. All meals are made without gluten and dairy, using ingredients such as whole grains, quinoa, lentils and chickpeas and dairy substitutes including coconut cream and nut cheeses; vegan options are offered. The company says its meals avoid added sweeteners and preservatives.

Business model

Consumer subscription: customers sign up for recurring weekly deliveries of prepared meals, with the ability to skip a delivery, pause for a week or cancel at any time without a commitment.

Recurring subscription revenue from weekly meal plans, priced from $42 per week or $11.50 per meal.