Thistle
Tech-enabled organic food and nutrition company
- 201-500 employees
- Healthcare
- B2C
- Food
- Nutrition
- eCommerce
- Tenderloin, San Francisco, CA
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Company mission
To make eating nutritious, plant-based foods incredibly convenient and accessible.
12% employee growth in 12 months
Our take
Thistle is an ethical food provider which delivers meals directly to the doorsteps of its customers. It's core aim is to make eating healthier easier – in the form of thrice-weekly cooler bags containing pre-prepared dishes ready for immediate consumption.
Central to this process is the team of nutritionists and chefs that has been hired by Thistle, with the intention of creating world-class meals. There's a focus on season-based nutrition with the platform, while there are also an array of vegan options available. Menus are designed to meet the macronutrient needs of consumers and are always free of added sweeteners and preservatives.
Thistle has found a comfortable niche by offering regular, but not on-demand deliveries (hence maintaining good unit economics), owning the production and delivery process end-to-end rather than relying on third parties. Similar attempts at providing prepared healthy meals on demand have failed - like Sprig, SpoonRocket, and Munchery – but in spite of heavy competition from local incumbents, Thistle's approach to healthy eating has proven successful so far.
Steph
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Benefits
- Work/Life Balance: We encourage work-life balance. That’s why we offer all employees generous paid vacation time, bereavement, jury duty, and voting leaves. We also provide gender-equitable parental leave for new parents
- Wellness: We support the holistic wellness of our employees by providing Thistlers with a 40% discount on meal subscriptions. We also lead fun team-building activities, provide wellness education, and hold special events
- Holistic Benefits: We are proud to provide a living wage, starting at $20/hour for all hourly roles. Full-time staff receive medical, dental, and vision benefits, including HSA and FSA options. All employees are eligible for a 401(k) retirement account and pet insurance
- Inclusive, equitable, purpose-driven culture: Thistlers are welcome to participate in our DE&I Committee as well as have their donations matched to important causes. We host quarterly Town Halls to keep everyone informed about our progress against our mission
- Giving Back: We build partnerships with local organizations and find ways to give back to the communities we work with. We take care to reduce our energy, water, and waste footprints across our supply chain. We even donate the by-products of our pressed juices and meals to local farmers for composting
Funding (last 2 of 4 rounds)
Jan 2021
$10.3m
SERIES B
Jan 2020
$5.7m
SERIES A
$18m
Total funding
Leadership
Ashwin Cheriyan
(CEO)After graduating from Brown they joined Simpson Thacher & Bartlett as an M&A Associate. Also co-founded WeGoFair, and is a prolific Angel Investor.
Shiri Avnery
(President)Studied at Brown and the University of Texas, and received a PhD from Princeton. Co-founded WeGoFair in 2012.