DISCUSSION
Thrive Market wants to change the world with new organic meat and seafood line
Written by George Anderson
Photo: Thrive Market
Thrive Market has been described as a cross between Costco and Whole Foods. The online grocer charges an annual membership fee of $59.95 and, in return, promises to sell a curated variety of natural and organic products at discounts up to 50 percent below traditional retail prices. The e-tailer also markets its shared values to subscribers by extending a free subscription to a family in need with each new sign-up.
While only selling shelf-stable groceries since its founding in 2014, this week the e-tailer announced it is branching out into perishables with the launch of Thrive Market Meat & Seafood, which sells 11 SKUs of boxed frozen beef, chicken, pork and seafood priced from $94.99 (22 servings of free-range organic chicken) to $119.99 (17 servings of wild and sustainable seafood).
Thrive has established its own supply line with small to medium-sized farmers and fisherman. As its members would expect, Thrive Market chose suppliers not only for their ability to meet quality requirements, but also for their commitment to animal welfare and sustainable environmental practices. According to a company press release, “Thrive sought out cattle raised on lush grass year-round, pigs allowed to forage naturally in pastures, chickens allowed to roam freely, and seafood sourced in a way that's mindful of our oceans.”
On the new line, Thrive’s co-founder and chief strategy officer Gunnar Lovelace said, "Our hope is by sharing these offerings with our members we'll not only deliver a truly differentiated product at a competitive price, we will also enable our producer partners to grow their operations, inspire others to transition away from unsustainable techniques and eventually change America's food system for the better."
At last year’s Shop.org conference, Mr. Lovelace said the company’s success is tied to its “hypercuration,” which has helped it become an “authentic, trusted source” for its customers. Thrive, he said, is “not trying to out Amazon, Amazon.”