Graze (company)
{{Short description|British snack company}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Nature Delivered Limited
| logo = Graze logo plain.png
| trading_name = Graze
| former_name = Gordons133 Limited (2007–2008)
| type =
| industry = {{Ubl
}}
| founded = {{start date|df=yes|2007|10|17}} in London, England{{Cite web |date=2007-10-17 |title=Incorporation |url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/06402199/filing-history/MTg2NDQ0MTA1YWRpcXprY3g/document?format=pdf&download=0 |access-date=2024-10-28 |website=Companies House}}
| founder = Graham Bosher
| hq_location =
| hq_location_city = Kingston Upon Thames, Surrey
| hq_location_country = England
| area_served =
| key_people = Joanna Allen (CEO)
| products = {{Ubl
| Subscription boxes
| Healthy snacks
}}
| num_employees = 500
| parent = Nd4a Limited{{Cite web |date=2017-10-07 |title=Nature Delivered Limited persons with significant control - Find and update company information - Gov.uk |url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/06402199/persons-with-significant-control |access-date=2024-10-29 |website=Companies House |language=en}}
| revenue =
| revenue_year =
| brands =
| services =
| owner = Unilever{{Cite web|url=https://www.unilever.com/news/press-releases/2019/unilever-acquires-graze.html|title=Unilever acquires Graze|work=Unilever global company website }}
| ratio =
| rating =
| website = {{URL|graze.com}}
}}
File:Graze snack boxes - old and new designs.jpg
Nature Delivered Limited,{{Cite web |date=2007-10-17 |title=Nature Delivered Limited overview - Find and update company information - Gov.uk |url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/06402199 |access-date=2023-08-03 |website=Companies House |language=en}} trading as Graze (stylised as graze), is a United Kingdom-based snack company which is owned by Unilever.{{Cite web|url=https://www.unilever.com/news/press-releases/2019/unilever-acquires-graze.html|title=Unilever acquires Graze|work=Unilever global company website }} Graze offers over 200 snack combinations{{cite web| url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/12034623/Graze-sales-in-supermarkets-could-overtake-online-revenues.html| title=Graze sales in supermarkets 'could overtake' online revenues| author=Rebecca Burn-Callander| date=6 December 2015| publisher=The Telegraph| access-date=24 October 2016}} through snack subscription boxes, an online shop{{cite web|url=https://www.graze.com/uk/shop/| title=the graze shop website}} and retailers. The company distributes thousands of snack boxes per day across the UK.{{cite web| url=http://www.bakeryandsnacks.com/Manufacturers/Graze.com-ready-to-gobble-up-US-market-prospects| title=Graze.com ready to gobble up US market prospects| author=Kacey Culliney| date=14 January 2014| publisher=Bakery And Snacks| access-date=12 January 2016}} Graze expanded operations to include the United States in 2013, launching snacks into US retailers in 2016.
Graze includes sweet and savoury snacks. Many of the products are suitable for vegans.
History
Graze was launched in 2008 by seven friends brought together by Graham Bosher, the founder of LoveFilm.{{cite web| url=https://www.theguardian.com/small-business-network/2014/nov/22/in-the-spotlight-graze-anthony-fletcher| title=In the Spotlight... Anthony Fletcher, Graze chief executive| author=Eleanor Ross| date=22 November 2014| work=The Guardian| access-date=12 January 2016}} The company began delivering snacks including nuts, small puddings, and porridge across the United Kingdom.{{cite web| url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/10439490/Families-snack-on-graze-boxes.html| title=Families snack on graze boxes| author=Graham Ruddick| date=10 November 2013| publisher=Telegraph| access-date=12 January 2016}} In November 2012, The Carlyle Group purchased the majority stake of Graze.{{cite web| url=http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/finance/results/graze-boxes-up-31-sales-growth/372023.article| title=Graze boxes up 31% sales growth| author=Jon Yeomans| date=29 September 2014| publisher=The Grocer| access-date=12 January 2016}}{{cite web| url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/businessclub/10511807/Snack-maker-Graze.com-launches-in-US.html| title=Snack maker Graze.com launches in US| author=Rebecca Burn-Callander| date=12 December 2013| publisher=Telegraph| access-date=12 January 2016}}
Graze opened a distribution center in New Jersey in January 2013 to begin beta trials in the United States.{{cite web| url=http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/230364| title=Graze.com Wants to Send You Boxes of Healthy Snacks for $6 a Pop| author=Catherine Clifford| date=12 December 2013| publisher=Entrepreneur| access-date=12 January 2016}} Graze officially expanded into the United States by late 2013 and has offices in Jersey City, New Jersey and Manhattan, New York.{{cite web| url=http://mentalfloss.com/article/71233/snacks-mail-company-graze-turns-snacking-science| title=The Snacks-by-Mail Company Graze Turns Snacking into a Science| author=Erin McCarthy| date=16 November 2015| publisher=mental_floss| access-date=21 October 2016}}{{cite web| url=http://www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/Business-News/Online-retailer-Graze-grows-rapidly| title=Grazs online sales of healthy snacks hit £53M| author=Rick Pendrous| date=29 September 2014| publisher=Food Manufacture| access-date=12 January 2016}} By the end of 2014, Graze had generated £68 million in revenue.{{cite web| url=http://www.essentialretail.com/news/article/55771371d0af7-online-healthy-snacks-retailer-grazecom-reports-us-success| title=Online healthy snacks retailer Graze.com reports US success| author=Ben Sillitoe| date=9 June 2015| publisher=Essential Retail |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305050421/https://www.essentialretail.com/news/article/55771371d0af7-online-healthy-snacks-retailer-grazecom-reports-us-success |archive-date=2016-03-05 |url-status=dead | access-date=2019-09-08}} In February 2017, Graze reported £75.8 million in revenue for the year.{{Cite web|url=https://internetretailing.net/themes/themes/sales-up-and-profits-down-at-graze-following-multichannel-and-us-investments-14842|title=Sales up and profits down at Graze, following multichannel and US investments|website=InternetRetailing|language=En|access-date=30 August 2018}} As of September 2017, Graze was available in 7,500 stores across the United States.{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2017/07/22/graze-groomed-300m-sale-healthy-eating-booms/|title=Graze groomed for £300m sale as healthy eating booms|last=Armstrong|first=Ashley|date=22 July 2017|work=The Telegraph|access-date=30 August 2018|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}}
Graze announced the launch of a line of snack products to UK retailers including Sainsbury's, Boots UK, and WHSmith in July 2015.{{cite web| url=http://www.foodnavigator.com/Business/From-online-to-in-store-graze.com-aims-to-transform-snacking-with-UK-retail-move| title=From online to in-store: graze.com aims to 'transform snacking' with UK retail move| author=Nathan Gray| date=13 July 2015| publisher=Food Navigator| access-date=12 January 2016}}
In 2015, Graze was listed as a member of the Sunday Times Fast Track 100,{{cite web|url=http://www.fasttrack.co.uk/company_profile/graze-com/|title=Graze.com - Fast Track|publisher=Sunday Times}} the list of Britain's top 100 fastest growing companies.
In 2016, Graze launched an online shop{{cite web| url=https://www.marketingweek.com/2015/11/19/graze-opens-up-to-non-subscribers-in-ecommerce-push-%E2%80%A8/| title=Graze opens up its products to non-subscribers in ecommerce push\ |author=Leonie Roderick| date=19 November 2015| publisher=Marketing Week| access-date=21 October 2016}} for one-off purchases, outside the snack subscription model, and began selling a range of their snacks in Walgreens stores across the US.{{cite web| url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/oct/17/graze-aims-for-healthy-bite-of-us-snack-market-with-bricks-and-mortar| title=Graze aims for healthy bite of US snack market with bricks and mortar| author=Graham Ruddick| date=17 October 2016| work=The Guardian| access-date=24 October 2016}}
In February 2019, Graze was acquired by Unilever for an undisclosed sum.{{cite web |last1=Yu |first1=Douglas |title=Unilever Acquires Graze To Boost Presence In Healthy Snacks Market |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/douglasyu/2019/02/11/unilever-acquires-graze-to-boost-presence-in-healthy-snacks-market/ |website=Forbes |access-date=23 September 2024 |language=en |date=11 February 2019}}
In August 2019, Graze subscribers in the US were notified that delivery on their subscriptions would end in September. As of September 2019, the Graze website store showed no products available for sale and no pending orders and by December 2019 it had reverted to a UK only website. The company has made no public announcement of why they have ceased business operations in the US.
In early 2024 they stopped their classic subscription box which fits through the letterbox and launched the new monthly subscription box in April 2024,graze launches new monthly subscription box with ‘A Taste of the World’ (retailtimes.co.uk) containing 8 snacks but no longer tailored to individual preferences. However, the new boxes were stopped being sent out after 3 months
Production
Graze used an algorithm called DARWIN (Decision Algorithm Rating What Ingredient's Next) to customise snack boxes based on the preferences subscribers entered on the site.{{cite web| url=https://www.wired.co.uk/magazine/archive/2012/06/start/graze-anatomy| title=Graze anatomy: the tech behind Graze.com's customized snacks| author=Nate Lanxon| date=11 May 2012| publisher=Wired| access-date=12 January 2016}} Graze develops its own recipes that do not include genetically engineered ingredients, artificial flavors or colors, high fructose corn syrup, or trans fats.{{cite web| url=http://www.brit.co/this-is-the-easiest-way-to-snack-healthy-at-work/| title=This Is the Easiest Way to Snack Healthy at Work| author=Anna Petrow| date=19 May 2015| publisher=Brit+Co| access-date=12 January 2016}}
The old variety boxes contained four snacks and could be delivered weekly, biweekly, or monthly.{{cite web| url=http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/snacks/healthy/snack-delivery-boxes/| title=Snack by Mail: The Best Snack Subscription Boxes| author=Jocelyn Voo| publisher=Fitness Magazine| access-date=12 January 2016}} Larger sharing bags and multipacks are available to buy ad-hoc on graze's online shop
Since 2023, graze has donated a portion of its profits to City Harvest,Graze 2022 [https://www.graze.com/docs/graze_impact_report_2022.pdf Impact Report] a London-based charity that redistributes surplus food to help tackle food poverty. Before this, graze supported the graze School of Farming in Uganda which helped over 400 families gain the skills and experience needed to feed and support themselves.
References
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Category:Companies based in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
Category:Food and drink companies established in 2008
Category:Catering and food service companies of the United Kingdom
Category:Snack food manufacturers of the United Kingdom
Category:Subscription services
Category:British companies established in 2008