Local Crate was founded based on a personal need. Founders Frank Jackman and Mike Stalbaum enjoyed cooking meals at home, especially with fresh, local ingredients, but as it is for many of us, cooking was difficult due to the time commitment required, not to mention the added guilt of throwing away extra, unused ingredients.
With previous experience in the food industry, Frank and Mike came together to found Local Crate, creating a platform to provide high-quality, local ingredients and recipes, while eliminating the drawbacks of time and excess quantities. Local Crate gathers ingredients from local, Minnesota suppliers whenever possible, planning its menu off of seasonal ingredients and migration patterns.
To enroll, consumers pick a delivery plan that suits their needs, with plans starting at two meals per week, each meal providing two servings a piece. Users have the ability to monitor, choose and change their meal selection until Thursdays at 9:00pm, and can select from 11 different meal options each week. And, did we mention free delivery?
Local Crate has been in operation for 9 months and is tracking to do over $400,000 in revenue in 2016. In the next year, the team is looking to build on that success by perfecting the current model, while setting sights on a second market.
If you are interested in Local Crate, have questions for the team, or simply want to check it out for yourself, be sure to stop by the upcoming Beta.MN / Showcase event at Target Commons on Sept. 19. The event runs from 5:30-8pm CT. Tickets are running low, but you can still secure your spot!