Companies that think differently

A lot of exciting things are happening in the world of food, with startups popping up in all areas of food tech. From delivering healthier alternatives and revolutionizing vending machine food to ensuring you never run out of coffee again, these top new companies are changing the world today, one food at a time. And you may never have even heard of them.

Innovative entrepreneurs like Juan Luis Bosch Gutierrez say that doing things differently makes people notice your products more. Changing the way people eat healthier helps society as a whole.

Ample

Ample is taking grab-and-go to the next level with its meal replacement drinks. Simply add water, shake and drink, and you’ll be getting enough proteins, fats, carbohydrates and fiber to keep you full and energized for at least four hours, states the company on its website. It costs $7.00 per meal when you purchase a 12-pack of regular-size shakes.

Bensen AI

“Siri, can I get a cheeseburger?”

Thanks to Bensen AI, Siri (or whoever your virtual assistant is) can actually deliver on that request. The startup enables restaurants to allow their customers to order food directly via a voice assistant, which makes things easier for consumers and can also boost revenue for participating restaurants. The Boston-area company received $150,000 in seed funding from Y Combinator in March 2019.

Bottomless

You’ll never run out of coffee again thanks to Bottomless, which uses a Wi-Fi-enabled scale to track when you’re running low on coffee beans and automatically orders a new bag for you. Simply purchase a bag of coffee from Bottomless’ online marketplace and leave it on the scale, and a new delivery will arrive in time for your next brew.

Prices for coffee start at $11.29 per bag, and there’s a flat $2.99 monthly fee that covers shipping. Bottomless — which is based out of Seattle — has received $2.1 million in funding since its creation.

Drizly

Hosting a party and need another case of beer ASAP? Want a bottle of wine to entertain some unexpected guests? Enter Drizly, the beer, wine and spirits delivery service that promises to have your beverage of choice at your door in under an hour. Simply enter your address on Drizly’s app or website, shop the local alcohol selection, and get your drinks delivered with the click of a button.

Eclipse Foods

The dairy alternatives market is expected to hit $37.5 billion by 2025, according to a study by Global Market Insights, and Eclipse Foods is poised to be a major player in that market. The food tech company has developed a milk alternative that promises to be more milk-like than the other alternatives out there, providing the taste of real dairy without the health and environmental issues that typically come along with it.

Farmer’s Fridge

Vending machine food is notoriously unhealthy, but Farmer’s Fridge is trying to change that. The Chicago-based startup — which received $30 million in Series C funding led by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt’s Innovation Endeavors in 2018 — stocks “Fridge” vending machines with fresh meals and snacks ready for purchase. And, the leftover food is donated to community members in need.

GrubMarket

GrubMarket brings farm-fresh foods to your door for up to 50% less than what you would pay in grocery stores. The Bay Area-based food delivery company was founded in 2014, and has since raised $89.1 million in funding — including $25 million in Series C funding in April 2019, Crunchbase reported. The company is continuing to expand its services throughout the U.S., and is poised to file an initial public offering in the near future, TechCrunch reported.

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