Alchemista Changes Course; Company Intent On Disrupting $200B Corporate Foodservice Industry

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Oct 30, 2019, 08:00 ET

BOSTON, Oct. 30, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Alchemista, the corporate foodservice company known for its premium, hospitality-minded approach and exclusive restaurant partnerships, today announced a shift in its business model enabling the company to set its sights far beyond corporate catering.

With the help of Alchemista's one-of-a-kind commissaries and talented culinary team, Alchemista has built a suite of services that can replace any corporate foodservice offering at any sized company, either as a free employer-sponsored perk or as an amenity available for employees to purchase on their own.

Whether employees want vegan snacks and cold brew coffee for your break room, a high-end restaurant pop-up from Limani to celebrate a team win, or chicken and waffles for lunch on a rainy day, Alchemista can provide any desired food and beverage experience at scale, without requiring a kitchen or any other infrastructure needs.

Since its inception in 2012, Alchemista has differentiated itself from its competitors by bringing high-quality hospitality into corporate foodservice, elevating traditional office catering to memorable culture-building occasions. Professionally trained Alchemista client attendants provide set-up, clean-up and ensure food is presented stylishly. Continually adding upon this initial innovation, today the Alchemista business model covers any food and beverage need in today's business world.

Compared to other startups in the food industry, Alchemista has proven to be a sustainable business model in a short amount of time: CEO and founder Christine Marcus raised less than $1 million in initial funding and turned a profit in less than three years while other foodservice startups with 20-100 times the funding have not yet turned a profit or folded before reaching profitability.

"The $200 billion corporate foodservice industry has not changed in generations," said Christine Marcus, Founder & CEO of Alchemista. "We firmly believe that our creative, modern approach represents the way today's employees want to eat. We're at the forefront of change in this massive industry that is ripe for innovation."

Perhaps no better example of change in the industry is Marcus's culinary director, Jeff Poliseno. Before joining Alchemista earlier this year, Poliseno worked as an executive chef at Sodexo. After nine years of managing foodservice functions at the one of the company's largest and most prominent accounts in Boston, Poliseno grew tired of the monotony of cooking the same food week after week.

"You can only innovate so much in the old model of corporate foodservice," Poliseno said. "At Alchemista, we place a premium on doing things differently every day in order to meet the demands of today's modern workforce, from crafting new menu items to testing new industry models. It really is the future of corporate foodservice – not just here in the states, but around the world."

Now available in offices throughout NYC, Boston and Washington, D.C., Alchemista's modern corporate foodservice offerings include:

No Infrastructure Needs. Alchemista can provide both hot and cold foodservice for employees without the cost and maintenance of an on-site cafeteria or kitchen.

No Long Term Contracts. Unlike legacy companies that require multi-year commitments in order to undertake the expense of a cafeteria build-out, Alchemista contracts start as short as 1-year.

Food as a Perk and Amenity. Whether an employer wants to provide meals complimentary to their staff as a part of an employee benefit program or provide the convenience of onsite food service for their employees to purchase, Alchemista offers both B2B and B2B2C programs.

Hospitality Driven Model. Alchemista is the only company with knowledgeable and hospitable client attendants who remain for the duration of the meal to provide set up, clean up, and are properly educated to provide information about the food being served.

Commissary Kitchens. Alchemista is the only company that offers food from its dedicated commissary kitchens, under the direction of its own chef. The Alchemista commissaries – sometimes referred to as "ghost kitchens" because they do not have a storefront and exist only to fulfil online orders – can produce custom menus to meet clients' specific needs, from farm-to-table, keto, vegan and more.

En Route Offering. Alchemista is the only company offering premium, ready-to-eat artisanal food at scale with the "made today, gone today" philosophy of fresh, healthy and wholesome meals and snacks.

Exclusive Relationships. Want Casa La Femme at your office? Alchemista is the exclusive partner to dozens of the country's top restaurants that do not typically offer corporate catering.

Restaurant Pop Ups. In addition to bringing exclusive restaurant menus into companies, Alchemista coordinates restaurant pop ups at companies that offer a kitchen facility on-site.

Mobile Bikes. Available for private company events or as an amenity in the public areas of office buildings, Alchemista's mobile bikes are equipped to offer everything from donuts to grab-and-go meals, alcoholic beverages and coffee, either as a perk or an amenity.

Break/Kitchen Snack Solutions. Alchemista offers custom kitchen and grocery stocking, providing everything from kombucha on tap to curated snacks, organic fruits and other beloved classic snacking options.

Reusables & Sustainability. Alchemista is the only corporate catering company that uses reusable plates and silverware for all 40,000 meals it currently serves each month. Alchemista's on-site attendants bring the used dishes back for cleaning every night, saving an estimated 109,000 tons of waste annually.

Giving Back. Alchemista donates leftover food from its corporate catering clients via Rescuing Leftover Cuisine and other charities, serving as the go-between on behalf of their clients, who benefit from the donations to the non-profit organizations.

About Alchemista
Alchemista is the country's only premium hospitality-focused corporate foodservice company providing fresh "made today, gone today" food and beverage at scale. Founded in 2012 to empower employers to compete with the "Google-esque" perks of big tech companies without requiring an in-office chef or kitchen, Alchemista's innovative business model allows employers to offer food as either a perk or amenity in a variety of formats, including on-site meal delivery, pop-ups from popular restaurants, artisanal grab-and-go selections, complete on-site snack and beverage solutions, and branded edibles – no food program or break room necessary.

Alchemista caters to employers seeking to create their own unique workplace culture to help amplify their core values, maximize performance and profitability, and maintain a high level of employee satisfaction through unforgettable culinary and cultural experiences at every touchpoint. To learn more, please visit www.alchemista.com.

SOURCE Alchemista