Munchery
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Food delivery service |
| Founded | 2010 in San Francisco, California, United States |
| Founder | Tri Tran, Conrad Chu |
| Defunct | January 21, 2019 |
| Fate | Ceased operations; brand relaunched as recipe platform by Rolliyo, Inc. |
| Headquarters | San Francisco , United States |
Area served | San Francisco, Seattle, New York City |
Key people | James Beriker (CEO from 2016) |
| Products | Meal delivery service |
Munchery Inc. operated as a meal delivery and online food ordering service in select areas including San Francisco, Seattle, and New York City. After achieving a valuation estimated at $300 million, the company unexpectedly halted all operations on January 21, 2019. Subsequently, its website was revived as a recipe-centric platform under the management of Rolliyo, Inc., a Delaware-registered entity conducting business as Munchery.
Overview
The company offered a dynamic menu crafted by a group of chefs responsible for choosing recipes and procuring ingredients. Customers had the flexibility to place orders either on the same day by 6 p.m. or schedule them ahead of time, with deliveries arranged within a one-hour window between 5 and 9 p.m. Meals arrived chilled and required customers to reheat them before consumption. The platform enabled diners to submit ratings and reviews, as well as interact directly with the culinary team.
History
Founded in 2010 in San Francisco by Tri Tran and Conrad Chu, Munchery secured $85 million in Series C funding during 2015, with industry speculation suggesting a company valuation near $300 million, though this figure was never officially confirmed.
In 2016, the company introduced a corporate lunch delivery service and appointed James Beriker as CEO, succeeding co-founder Tri Tran.
On October 2, 2020, Rolliyo, Inc., operating under Munchery.com, announced the brand’s relaunch as a platform focused on recipes.
Bankruptcy
Towards the end of 2018, Munchery reduced its workforce by approximately 30% before ceasing operations suddenly in January 2019. The bankruptcy filing submitted in March 2019 revealed assets valued between $1 million and $10 million against secured debts totaling $28.5 million and unsecured debts amounting to $6 million owed to around 230 vendors. Investors such as Greycroft, Sherpa Capital, Menlo Ventures, E.ventures, Cota Capital, and M13 collectively invested $125 million in the company, including an $87 million round completed in 2015.
A chef who remained anonymous described the organization as "a house of cards" after spending two years working there.
In May 2019, Munchery sold its headquarters—a 70,000-square-foot facility located in South San Francisco—for $5 million. Following this transaction, CEO James Beriker intended to award himself a $250,000 success fee from the proceeds of the sale.