In 2022, equity funding for UK ready meal and meal kit companies reached an all time high, when £150m was pumped into the industry. This came as a by-product of the COVID-19 pandemic, as more people were looking for different types of meal options that they could have at home.

Since then however, we’ve seen a drop off in funding for these types of companies. And in 2024, there’s been only £17.1m invested into ready meal and meal kit companies.

Despite the drop in funding, meal subscription services still remain popular, with big-name companies like Gousto announcing a £50m investment (7 February 2023) and featuring on the Alantra Food & Beverage Fast 50 high-growth list in May 2024.

With Christmas just around the corner, meal subscriptions could make for an original and practical gift idea. They’re versatile enough to suit various lifestyles, whether for someone who loves to cook, wants to try new recipes, or simply needs a break from planning meals.

The UK’s top ten meal subscription services

10. The Cookaway

Location: London
Total amount raised: £2.91m

The Cookaway produces meal kits for a variety of cuisines and dietary needs from vegan, halal and gluten-free. The company incorporated in 2018, and since then has raised £2.91m in equity through four funding rounds. Most recently the company raised £1.05m in 2023, in a follow-on investment from Republic Europe. It offers a number of occasion-themed menus, including Christmas meal boxes, and corporate options.

09. HomeCooks

Location: London
Total amount raised: £3.11m

HomeCooks is an online food marketplace which allows users to order meal boxes from local independent chefs and food brands. You can buy meals individually or get them on a subscription basis.

This company, which was started in Hackney, has raised £3.11m since 2020 over three funding rounds. Most recently in 2023, the company raised £2.50m, coming from multiple investors including Atomico, the Dutch Founders Fund, and Ventures Together.

08. FoodHak

Location: London
Total amount raised: £4.61m

FoodHak delivers vegan and gluten-free ready meals to customers on a weekly basis, using clinical research data and machine learning to create healthy recipes. Customers can either personalise a box or choose from their preset options. The company has been through three fundraising events since its incorporation in 2019. Its most recent funding was for £30k in 2023.

07. Grubby

Location: West Midlands
Total amount raised: £5.18m

Grubby provides a subscription service for plant-based recipe kits. The company is based in Staffordshire and was incorporated in 2018.

It has featured on the Startups 100 high-growth list twice, most recently in 2023. The company also hit our environmental signal for Sustainable farming & food production. It has also been through five funding rounds, raising £265k in 2024 alone. This vegan-only company also does gift cards and has its own recipe book.

06. Pasta Evangelists

Location: London
Total amount raised: £6.72m

Pasta Evangelists produces a variety of fresh pasta products and ready-to-cook meals, offering home delivery including a subscription service. The company has featured on three high-growth lists: Startups 100 twice and the Foodtech 500. In total it has gone through five funding rounds, raising a total of £6.72m. It was acquired by Barilla in 2021.

The company offers gift boxes including a gift subscription service where you can give up to six months of pasta.

05. Mindful Chef

Location: London
Total amount raised: £9.27m

Mindful Chef is a meal subscription service dedicated to healthier eating choices, with all their meal boxes 100% gluten-free. It attended the Mayor’s International Business Programme, and has featured on four high-growth lists. In 2020, the business featured on the Startups 100 and the Fast Track Tech Track 100. In total it has raised £9.27m over four funding rounds and was acquired by Nestle in 2020.

04. SimplyCook

Location: London
Total amount raised: £10.6m

SimplyCook creates recipes and then sends those recipes alongside spices and other flavourings as part of a subscription service. This means recipes are fully customisable when it comes to protein options. The company has raised £10.6m through six funding rounds and was acquired by Nestle in 2021. Before then it featured on the Deloitte Fast 50 high-growth list.

It also offers gift options including a gift subscription so you can continue giving, long after Christmas is over.

03. COOK

Location: Kent
Total amount raised: £16.0m

COOK, one of the only non-London based companies on the list, specialises in a range of frozen meals and puddings. Often found in shops, it also offers a subscription service so you can get your meals delivered at home, without recurrent ordering.

The company has only gone through one fundraising but raised a significant £16.0m. It has featured on six high-growth lists, including the Top 200 Women-Powered Businesses in 2024. It also hit our social & governance signal for social impact accolades.

And in terms of Christmas, the company offers a number of gift options. Beyond traditional meal boxes, it also offers corporate gifting and meal boxes specifically for new parents.

02. allplants

Location: London
Total amount raised: £68.9m

Although allplants has recently gone into administration, we thought it was important to keep this vegan meal subscription on our list as it is still offering its meals online (and for a discount farewell price).

allplants was incorporated in 2016 and made waves as a fully vegan meal subscription option. It raised nine funding rounds totalling £68.9m since then. It has also attended two accelerator events: Upscale and Unreasonable Impact UK & Europe, as well as being featured on three high-growth lists.

01. Gousto

Location: London
Total amount raised: £321m

Gousto provides meal kit delivery services, with exact ingredient portions for recipes and instruction cards on how to prepare the dish. Boxes arrive weekly and you can choose from 100s of recipes — including veggie, vegan and gluten free.

This meal kit service has featured on a massive 14 high-growth lists, most recently the Alantra Food & Beverage Fast 50 in May 2024. It also attended the Future Fifty accelerator in 2017 — and hit our high-growth signal for 20% scaleup. Gousto also offers gift options for Christmas, including gift vouchers and direct sending of meal boxes to others.

Expert Advice: How GS Verde Group Supports Consumer and Subscription-Based Businesses

According to Beauhurst’s research, growth in this industry stems from evolving consumer behaviours, advancements in digital platforms, and strong investor interest. As a result, we are seeing subscription-based business taking the consumer market by storm in the UK.

But, for any business, scaling up brings complexity and challenges. By choosing GS Verde Group for expert corporate advisory guidance, your business can successfully secure the right buyers and funding when preparing for an exit.

By combining our integrated team of finance, legal, tax, accountancy and communications experts under one roof, we can support your business through every stage of a transaction and deliver effective advice to ensure the best outcomes.

To explore the Meal Subscription Services companies making an impact in the UK, visit: The UK’s Top Ten Meal Subscription Services - Beauhurst