Snap Kitchen Launches Direct Shipping of Meals From Its Fort Worth Facility

Austin-based Snap Kitchen said Monday it's expanding from storefronts into e-commerce with direct overnight shipping of its fresh ready-to-eat, portion-controlled meals.The new business starts this week from its Fort Worth kitchen, where the company said it can reach 80 million households within two days in 15 states in the South and East. The online expansion includes major markets of New York, Washington D.C., Baltimore, and Pittsburg and closer to home into San Antonio and Oklahoma City. Up to now, Snap Kitchen's meals were available from its stores and via on-demand services such as Postmates in the four cities where it has stores: Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and Philadelphia.And the company's 33 stores, including 10 in D-FW, will remain open, said Snap Kitchen CEO Jon Carter."The goal with direct ship is to broaden Snap Kitchen's reach outside of its four current markets in addition to the existing retail stores, not to replace our retail presence," he said in an emailed reply.New start Snap Kitchen closed stores in Chicago in 2017 after expanding too fast and early last year a pilot program ended where its meals were sold inside some Whole Foods Markets. Two years ago, the company also closed kitchens in Austin and Houston and consolidated to Fort Worth. Snap Kitchen has about has 240 employees in Dallas-Fort Worth, most of them at the Fort Worth kitchen on Trinity Boulevard.  Continue reading...