SAN FRANCISCO— Meal kits are continuing on a growth trend in the U.S., with each new brand attempting to tap a new angle in terms of consumer lifestyle preferences. However, a new meal kit company, Sun Basket, is taking it a step further. The company recently partnered with Williams-Sonoma and will offer organic, non-GMO meal kits bundled with Williams-Sonoma kitchen tools.
Anyone who signs up for the service through Williams-Sonoma’s website after November 18 will get $60 worth of Williams-Sonoma kitchenware products for free in their first delivery. According to the company, the package will include a Microplane zester, lemon press, garlic press and stainless steel tongs. The kitchen tool assortment was curated by Sun Basket executive chef, Justine Kelly. Sun Basket will also offer recipes from Williams-Sonoma in the meal kits.
“At Williams-Sonoma, we strive to offer customers premium products to help them cook with confidence and ease,” said Janet Hayes, president, Williams-Sonoma. “Our partnership with Sun Basket gives our customers access to fresh, organic and non-GMO ingredients delivered right to their homes. We’re thrilled to share our top-rated, healthy recipes with a new customer.”
Amy Endemann, marketing director of Sun Basket, explained that the new partnership will not only expand the meal kit company’s reach— Sun Basket launched in 2014 and the meal kit company only went national a short time ago— but it will also elevate the brand’s identity.
“We are always looking for like-minded partners to offer easy, delicious recipes that celebrate organic, seasonal ingredients. Williams-Sonoma has an extensive library of much-loved recipes that we’re excited to include on the Sun Basket menu,” she said. “Together, Sun Basket and Williams-Sonoma can deliver everything you need to cook healthy delicious meals, from the cooking tools, serving ware and dining room décor to the recipes and the food.”
Meal kits are a section of the food industry that have continued to expand, currently generating $1.5 billion in sales, and are on track to bring in an additional $3 million to $5 million throughout the next decade, according to consulting firm Packaged Facts. With convenience factors such as delivery and pre-measured meals, many vendors believe that meal kits will bring more consumers back to the table, a sentiment echoed by Sun Basket’s Endemann.
“Meal kits are bringing more people into kitchens than ever before. Some customers are learning to cook for the very first time, while other customers are more seasoned chefs but cooking more frequently with the added convenience of ingredient delivery,” Endemann noted. “We’re creating more cooking occasions and a wider group of home chefs with the confidence to cook for their families and entertain for others. We expect this to drive incremental demand for more kitchen and entertaining products.”
Like other meal kits, such as Blue Apron and Plated, Sun Basket includes ingredients for three meals a week portioned for groups of two, four or six people. Priced slightly higher than its competitors, by about $9, Sun Basket also offers organic, non-GMO ingredients. The service also offers menu tailoring for Paleo, gluten-free, and vegetarian diets, the company said.
Edemann added that the partnership with Williams-Sonoma would not impact pricing in the immediate future. The company offers the Kitchen Essentials bundle free as an alternative to a more traditional trial discount, she said.
Other retailers seem to be exploring the meal kit trend. For example, Whole Foods also recently began testing meal kits in store. The company is currently selling Purple Carrot kits at its Dedham, MA-based store.