NEW YORK — Chef-to-consumer meal subscription platform CookUnity raised $47 million in a Series B funding round led by Insight Partners.
Endeavor Capital, IDCV, Fuel Venture and Gaingels also participated in the round, which followed a $15.5 million Series A fundraise in January and brought the startup’s total funding to $70 million
Launched in 2018, CookUnity connects chefs with consumers to create an elevated at-home dining experience. The startup’s weekly subscription platform offers a range of chef-prepared, small batch meals that cater to a wide variety of palates and preferences.
“CookUnity is creating a world where people can have the convenience of a subscription service with the excitement and quality of the best restaurant food in the country — this is an entirely new culinary experience,” said Rebecca Liu-Doyle, principal at Insight Partners, who will be joining the startup’s board of directors. “With CookUnity’s unique revenue-sharing business model showing rapid growth, the data is clear that this is what consumers want and what talented chefs need.”
CookUnity has a flagship kitchen in Brooklyn, NY, and recently opened new kitchens in Los Angeles, Austin and Chicago. The new funding will further accelerate its nationwide expansion with the opening of additional kitchens in Atlanta and Miami this fall and in Seattle by the end of the year. Already reaching consumers in major markets such as New York, San Francisco, Dallas-Fort Worth, Boston and Washington, DC, the new kitchens will allow CookUnity to service nearly 90% of the US population, said Mateo Marietti, founder and chief executive officer.
“With the expansion of our board and expert funding in place, we’re in a strong position to solidify a new ‘chef direct subscription’ category, the first marketplace concept that supports both the chef creator and food enthusiast equally,” he said.
The company plans to triple its roster of 50 chefs by mid-2022. Recent additions include Michelin recipient Ludo Lefebvre of Los Angeles, James Beard award winner Michelle Bernstein of Miami, Atlanta’s Hugh Acheson, Chicago’s Jonathon Sawyer and Bryan Caswell in Austin.