The Purple Carrot
The Purple Carrot, operated by Three Limes, Inc., is a US-based direct-to-consumer subscription service delivering fully plant-based meal kits, ready-to-eat meals, and curated grocery items to vegan, health-conscious, and weight-loss-focused household consumers across the United States.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersNeedham, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Purple Carrot does
The Purple Carrot, operated by Three Limes, Inc., is a US-headquartered direct-to-consumer subscription food company founded in 2014 and based in Needham, Massachusetts. It is the longest-standing dedicated 100% plant-based meal delivery service in the market, offering three integrated product lines: meal kits (chef-created recipes delivered as pre-portioned ingredients requiring home cooking), ready-to-eat meals (microwave-prepared in approximately two minutes), and a curated plant-based grocery selection that includes third-party partner brands and the company's own private-label Plantry line. Weekly rotating menus feature 50+ recipes across breakfast, lunch, and dinner with dietitian-designed segments for high-protein, high-fiber, gluten-free, and GLP1-friendly preferences.
The business is anchored on a continuous weekly subscription model with skip/pause/cancel-anytime flexibility and pricing in the $13.00–$14.25 per serving range (meal kits feed two; ready-to-eat meals are single-serving). Distribution is exclusively direct via the owned e-commerce storefront (purplecarrot.com), iOS and Android mobile apps, and social-login-enabled account flows. Marketing is multi-channel through content (recipe library, blog), email, organic social (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest), referral (Friend Buy-powered Share-a-box), and affiliate (Impact.com). Tech integrations beyond marketing and support (Zendesk) are limited; there is no public API.
The company has raised approximately $13.8M across five disclosed rounds through 2018 (notably from New Crop Capital, WindSail Capital Group, Stray Dog Capital, Unovis Asset Management, and Fresh Del Monte Produce). Founder Andrew Levitt serves as CEO. Recent product activity includes co-branded kits and grocery SKUs with Better Balance Foods and Jinka, expansion into breakfast and smoothie-kit categories, GLP1-friendly positioning, and a private-label grocery line. Editorial positioning as the leading vegan meal delivery service was reaffirmed in 2026 by NBC Select, Fortune, and The Independent.
The Purple Carrot firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Purple Carrot
- Legal name
- Three Limes, Inc.
- Website
- https://purplecarrot.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- The Purple Carrot, operated by Three Limes, Inc., is a US-based direct-to-consumer subscription service delivering fully plant-based meal kits, ready-to-eat meals, and curated grocery items to vegan, health-conscious, and weight-loss-focused household consumers across the United States.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Purple Carrot industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Plant-Based Meal Kit Delivery
- NAICS
- Frozen Specialty Food Manufacturing (311412)
- SIC
- Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090), Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Frozen Plant-Based & Vegetarian Meals (CRADADAF)
Keywords
Where The Purple Carrot is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Needham
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Purple Carrot business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Meal Kit Subscriptions: Weekly recurring subscription revenue from meal kit deliveries. Customers choose from meal kits (requiring cooking) and ready-to-eat options. Pricing ranges from $13.25-$14.25 per serving for meal kits and $13-$15 per serving for ready-to-eat meals. Subscriptions are continuous-weekly until canceled.
- Grocery Products: Sale of curated plant-based grocery products including proteins, snacks, beverages, dairy alternatives, and specialty items from third-party brands
- Gift Cards: Purple Carrot Gift Cards sold to gift recipients who can apply balance toward new or existing subscriptions on purplecarrot.com
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Weekly | Meal Kit - 2 Serving |
| Subscription | Weekly | Ready-to-Eat Meals - Single Serving |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Grocery Add-ons |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
The Purple Carrot product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Purple Carrot is a direct-to-consumer subscription meal delivery service that delivers 100% plant-based chef-created Meal Kits and microwave-ready Ready-to-Eat Meals to U.S. customers on a weekly basis, supplemented by a curated online Grocery section including its private-label Plantry line. Subscribers choose from 50+ weekly rotating recipes across breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with dietitian-designed options for high-protein, high-fiber, gluten-free, and GLP-1-friendly diets.
Product overview
Purple Carrot operates as a plant-based meal delivery subscription service offering three integrated product lines: Meal Kits (chef-created recipes requiring home cooking with pre-portioned ingredients), Ready-to-Eat Meals (microwave-ready prepared dishes in 2 minutes), and a curated Grocery section (partner brand products like proteins, dairy alternatives, snacks, and Purple Carrot's private-label Plantry line). The core offering is a weekly subscription model delivering from a rotating menu of 50+ recipes across breakfast, lunch, and dinner, supplemented by dietitian-designed high-protein and GLP1-friendly options. The service is accessible via website, iOS/Android mobile apps, and integrates with social login providers (Facebook, Google, Apple) for account management.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Plant-Based Meal Kits Weekly subscription delivery of chef-created 100% plant-based recipes with pre-portioned fresh ingredients for home cooking. Customers choose from 50+ rotating weekly recipes across breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with preparation times ranging from under 15 minutes to 30+ minutes. Priced at $13.25-$14.25 per serving (feeds 2).
- Ready-to-Eat Plant-Based Meals
Quantifiable outcome
- Clinically proven to help people lose weight and lower LDL cholesterol in just 4 weeks
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use The Purple Carrot
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Purple Carrot technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
Feature3 records
The Purple Carrot partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Better Balance FoodscoreCo-branded partnership to release vegan hot dog meal kits. Purple Carrot and Better Balance Foods collaborated on the NYC Street Dogs product featuring Better Balance plant-based hot dogs, sold exclusively through Purple Carrot's meal kit service.
- JinkaminorCo-branded product partnership for Spicy Tuna plant-based product (Purple Carrot x Jinka), sold through Purple Carrot's grocery selection.
- The Farmlink ProjectminorSocial impact partnership supporting food insecurity relief. Purple Carrot contributes to The Farmlink Project's efforts to connect farms with surplus fresh produce to communities in need, helping alleviate food insecurity while reducing food waste.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Purple Carrot competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- HelloFresh: The largest direct-to-consumer meal kit subscription company. Offers a broad weekly menu including omnivorous and a substantial vegetarian/plant-based line, serving the same core use case as Purple Carrot and cited alongside it in meal kit market research.
- Blue Apron: Long-standing DTC meal kit subscription service with weekly rotating menus and home delivery. Directly comparable to Purple Carrot's meal kit format, with Blue Apron also offering vegetarian options but not exclusively plant-based.
- Sun Basket: DTC meal kit and prepared meal service with health- and diet-focused positioning. Listed alongside Purple Carrot, HelloFresh, and Blue Apron as a key meal kit industry player and operates a similar subscription-based delivery model.
- Daily Harvest: DTC plant-based frozen food company delivering ready-to-eat smoothies, bowls, and prepared meals via subscription. Closely comparable to Purple Carrot on the plant-based-exclusive, ready-to-eat, single-serving dimensions and the health-conscious target customer.
- Splendid Spoon: Plant-based meal delivery subscription offering ready-to-eat bowls, soups, and smoothies. Overlaps directly with Purple Carrot's ready-to-eat format and 100% plant-based positioning for health-conscious and vegan consumers.
- Thistle: Plant-forward prepared meal delivery subscription service emphasizing nutrition and dietitian-designed menus. Comparable to Purple Carrot on plant-based chef-designed meals and on the GLP1/dietitian-friendly positioning angle.
- Factor (formerly Factor 75): Heat-and-eat prepared meal subscription service offering dietitian-designed, portion-controlled meals. Overlaps with Purple Carrot's ready-to-eat format and macro-friendly positioning, especially for time-constrained and fitness-oriented consumers.
Emerging players
- CookUnity: Chef-prepared fresh meal subscription marketplace with rotating menus from professional chefs. Adjacent to Purple Carrot on the chef-created, ready-to-eat meal angle and DTC subscription model, with broader (non-plant-based) positioning.
- Sakara Life: Premium plant-based meal program delivering fully prepared nutrition-focused meals with a wellness/lifestyle brand. Comparable to Purple Carrot on the plant-based, fully-prepared, dietitian-aligned positioning, but skewed toward a higher-income, more wellness-aspirational customer.
Broad incumbents
- FreshDirect: Established online grocery delivery service offering fresh, prepared, and specialty foods including plant-based options. A broader incumbent that competes for the same grocery-and-prepared-meal wallet share, particularly in Northeast US markets.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Purple Carrot social profiles
Digital presenceThe Purple Carrot compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
The Purple Carrot financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Purple Carrot leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
The Purple Carrot funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors5 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Purple Carrot M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Purple Carrot
What does The Purple Carrot do?
Purple Carrot is a direct-to-consumer subscription meal delivery service that delivers 100% plant-based chef-created Meal Kits and microwave-ready Ready-to-Eat Meals to U.S. customers on a weekly basis, supplemented by a curated online Grocery section including its private-label Plantry line. Subscribers choose from 50+ weekly rotating recipes across breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with dietitian-designed options for high-protein, high-fiber, gluten-free, and GLP-1-friendly diets.
Is The Purple Carrot a public or private company?
The Purple Carrot is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was The Purple Carrot founded?
The Purple Carrot was founded in 2014. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is The Purple Carrot based?
The Purple Carrot is headquartered in Needham, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Purple Carrot make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Meal Kit Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are grocery Products and gift Cards.
Who are The Purple Carrot's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are HelloFresh, Blue Apron, Sun Basket, Daily Harvest, Splendid Spoon, Thistle and Factor (formerly Factor 75). Emerging players are CookUnity and Sakara Life. FreshDirect is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does The Purple Carrot have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Purple Carrot.
What industry is The Purple Carrot in?
The Purple Carrot's product category is Plant-Based Meal Kit Delivery. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADADAF, Frozen Plant-Based & Vegetarian Meals. Its NAICS code is 311412 and its SIC code is 2090.