How a Healthy Snack Company Conquered the Minds and Appetites of Junk food Junkies

The clock of her outer and inner worlds are perfectly aligned. Just as the clock strikes midnight, her stomach rumbles to life like a grumpy alarm clock. It is 12 AM, and she’s hungry. Rather than shield herself from hunger with the shiny wrappers of candy bars and potato chips, she decides she wants more than just another night filled with post-junk food depression, lethargy, and weight gain. This junk food junkie wants a midnight fix that will leave her happy, healthy, and full. This snackaholic has found recovery and rehabilitation within a plastic box. A box stuffed with delicious, nutritious delights that cleanse the body and mind of the poisons in processed food. An aid and addiction--this Pandora’s box of healthy and tasty food is none other than the Graze Subscription Box.

Graze was founded in 2005 by a group of friends in the U.K., starving to find the dietary holy grail--food equally tasty as it is nutritious. Yet with every opened chip bag, they found future cardiac arrests and diabetic dilemmas staring back at them. Though malnutrition was all around them, these pioneers of food refused to be swayed. If they could not find healthy food, then they would make healthy food, and bring it to the people. Anthony Fletcher and his team of entrepreneurs quit their day jobs to dedicate themselves fully to creating high-quality, accessible healthy food. 

Fletcher and his team got creative in the kitchen and were finally rewarded, selling their first Graze Box in 2008. Customers could subscribe to delicious and nutritious snack boxes that arrived by mail. In 2013, over 100,000 "grazers" filled the U.K., and the company decided to expand to North America. Within their first year of expansion, Graze gained over 200,000 American customers. Over the past five years, Graze has become a 100 million dollar company, making it one of the fastest growing businesses in the U.K. Graze products can now be found in stores across Great Britain and the U.S., as well as on their website, Graze.com.

Unlike many healthy snack companies, Graze stands out because of its careful consideration of customer feedback. The in-house developers and engineers of Graze analyze the data collected from customers, using it to interpret their needs and preferences and create snacks accordingly.

Fletcher, the CEO, states, "The graze algorithm is quite special because it takes into account all of the customer's taste preferences, yet is also designed to give them as much variety and as many new snacks to discover as possible."

Paolo Wyatt, U.S. Senior Vice President of Graze, adds, "We know our customers love our products and we want to give them as many opportunities to eat us as possible."

The company is committed to changing eating habits and providing people with reliable and sustainable access to healthy food. Recently, Graze has funded the development of a school of agriculture in Uganda. Kabubbu locals learn how to grow and maintain crops, allowing the community to generate income and food. Fellow grazers can also directly support the cause by donating their $1 reward coupons in their graze boxes.

Graze products are free from trans fats, high fructose corn syrup, and GMO ingredients. Each snack is nutritionist-approved, providing a hefty portion of protein, fiber, and whole grains. Each package is also portioned carefully to ensure controlled amounts of sugar, salt, and carbohydrates. Out of the 100 unique flavor combinations Graze has to offer, ranging from salty to sweet, most snacks do not exceed 150 calories.

Jess Dyer, the in-house nutritionist of Graze, explains, "When I look at food, I look at the nutrients it brings to the table. Is it going to be able to assist our bodies, or will it be a burden for the body?"

Whether it be online or in-store, Graze caters to the palates of every foodie and restaurateur to create a diverse collection of snacks. Graze represents its people through its product, and that is what makes the company such an absolute success. Graze embodies a philosophy we have otherwise lost: the idea that food belongs with friends, not in factories.