Waitrose has expanded into the meal-kit delivery market with the takeover of Dishpatch, a UK-based company which works with chefs including Angela Hartnett, Michel Roux Jr and Rick Stein.
The meal-kit business, which was founded in 2020 in response to the Covid-19 lockdowns, has billed itself as offering “restaurant-quality home dining”.
Dishpatch customers can order food from more than 40 menus, with food and wine delivered on Fridays and dishes pre-prepared to be finished and served at home.
Waitrose – the grocery arm of the John Lewis Partnership – said it sees “significant opportunities” for Dishpatch following the deal.
The companies confirmed that Peter Butler will continue as Dishpatch chief executive.
James Bailey, executive director at Waitrose, said: “Waitrose sees significant opportunities for Dishpatch, which works with some of Britain’s most respected chefs and restaurants.
“We have shared values in serving our customers the best quality food and we’re looking forward to working together.
“While our immediate focus will be helping Dishpatch grow its core meal kit business, we are also looking forward to working with the team to bring further new and exciting food experiences to Waitrose customers.”
Butler, founder and chief executive of Dishpatch, added: “Since launching in 2020, our mission at Dishpatch has always been to bring the most exciting, high-quality restaurant food into more people’s lives.
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Waitrose, whose reputation has been built on the quality of their food.
“With such aligned values, we’re excited to bring our meal kits to a wider audience and exploring new opportunities beyond that.”
In 2022 the meal-delivery firm raised £10m in seed funding, which it said had allowed it to add 20 additional restaurants to the platform.
It added that the capital was also invested in growing the company’s team across marketing, tech, distribution, and customer service.