Q&A with Savorfull: Allergy-Free Foods Delivered

From pet supplies to groceries, the rise of subscription-based e-commerce startups provides the opportunity to have certain items delivered on a regular basis. One such company, serving those with food allergies, is Savorfull.

Customers sign up online, select a membership level and receive monthly deliveries for $15 a month. Each box arrives with full-size samples of gluten and/or wheat free, dairy free and peanut free products. In August, for example, a Savorfull customer would have received multi-grain crackers, cookies, free-range chicken broth and a soy cookbook.

A component of Savorfull’s business model is it gives members the option of buying the full-sized version of products, through its website, that they sampled in their monthly box.

In terms of competitors, Tasterie is $15-$20 a month and allows customers to choose a box based on food allergy or dietary preference (which Savorfull is moving towards). According to one of its customers, the $20 a month “Signature Box” includes things like hummus, apple chips and almond butter.

We recently caught up with Stacy Goldberg, MPH, RN and CEO of Savorfull about the company, its business model and the challenges it faces.

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Food+Tech Connect:  How does Savorfull work?

Stacy Goldberg:  Savorfull is a monthly membership service that delivers healthy allergy free foods to members doorsteps each month to discover, taste and share. We feature all packaged products such as cereals, pastas, energy bars, ingredient based items, cooking and baking mixes and more. Memberships also include food pairing, recipes using the foods featured each month and the ability to purchase the products directly from our site.

FTC:  What problem are you solving?

SG:  Less trips to multiple grocery stores…helping with solutions for food choices on dietary restricted lifestyles… ability to sample foods without being committed to full size products, access to nutritionist…also…for food producers, [Savorfull is a] marketing and distribution channel….

FTC:  What kind of products do you feature in your boxes? How do you find these products?

SG: We feature products from both large and small food producers from around the country. We work with food producers to either help them grown their brand or to showcase newer items they have added to their free from lines. We only feature products that are made without anything artificial. We aim for minimally processed products made with love by dedicated food producers.

FTC:  How large is the market for allergy-free food? 

SG: 

• Global market for “Free From” foods [will surpass] $26.5 billion in the next 5 years
  
• Over 15 million Americans have food allergies
• 1 in 13 American children have food allergies
• 35-50 million Americans have at least one food intolerance
• 1 in 133 Americans have Celiac Disease

FTC:  What is your business model? 

SG: Savorfull is a monthly membership service, with auto renewal…. Revenue streams also include food product sales, product placement fees, speaker presentations & consulting fees…. Savorfull is a marketing model for small & large food producers with a targeted audience.

FTC:  Could you describe some of the challenges you have faced with launching Savorfull?

SG:  We are trying to meet the needs of a large population with various needs and dietary restricted lifestyles. Right now we have a signature box that includes peanut, gluten, wheat and dairy free products. We know that many members with celiac disease want nuts and many people with peanut allergies consume gluten. So we are quickly moving towards offering gluten free only boxes, peanut/nut free only boxes, as well as eventually a member will be able to come on the site and customize the selection based on their families dietary restricted lifestyle.