Wicked Foods
Wicked Foods is a plant-based CPG company that develops chef-crafted frozen meals, non-dairy desserts, and plant-based seafood, selling primarily through major U.S. retailers (Target, Kroger, Sprouts) and Tesco in the U.K. for health-conscious grocery consumers and foodservice operators.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersMinneapolis, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Wicked Foods does
Wicked Foods, Inc. (doing business as Wicked Kitchen) is a Minneapolis, Minnesota-based plant-based food company founded in 2016 by brothers Chad and Derek Sarno. The company develops and markets chef-crafted, flavor-first plant-based products — primarily a six-SKU frozen entree portfolio (Naked Burrito, Peng Panang Tofu Curry, Korean Inspired Bowl, Seriously Sriracha Tofu & Rice, Hearty Rigatoni Veg Bolognese, Rockin' Chili Mac), a non-dairy frozen dessert line, and acquired plant-based seafood brands Good Catch and Current Foods. Its underlying technology centers on food-science innovation rather than software: proprietary mushroom-based protein techniques using lion's mane, king oyster, oyster, and shiitake varieties to create meat-like textures, root vegetable cold-cut processing (rutabaga, celeriac), and a cast-iron pan-pressing method for crispy-edge, juicy-center mushroom steaks.
The company's business model is conventional CPG: it manufactures or co-manufactures finished frozen products and sells them through retail grocery and foodservice channels. Primary retail partners in the U.S. are Target (nationwide launch November 2023), Kroger, and Sprouts, with Tesco as the anchor U.K. partner; additional revenue comes from foodservice distribution in both countries, Amazon marketplace sales, and direct e-commerce via its own website. Pricing is set at the retailer level and is not publicly disclosed. The company supplements product sales with content marketing — a 420+ recipe library, the Mushroom Mafia email community, and a YouTube cooking series — to drive consumer pull. Customers are predominantly health-conscious, convenience-oriented grocery shoppers (flexitarians, vegetarians, and vegans) and foodservice operators seeking chef-quality plant-based options.
Wicked Foods has raised approximately $34 million across disclosed funding rounds, including a $14 million Series A in July 2021 led by Unovis Asset Management and Nove Foods, and a $20 million round led by Ahimsa VC in September 2022. Headcount is in the 11–50 range. The company operates in the U.S., U.K., and Thailand and is privately held with no public listing.
Wicked Foods firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Wicked Foods
- Legal name
- Wicked Foods, Inc.
- Website
- https://wickedkitchen.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Wicked Foods is a plant-based CPG company that develops chef-crafted frozen meals, non-dairy desserts, and plant-based seafood, selling primarily through major U.S. retailers (Target, Kroger, Sprouts) and Tesco in the U.K. for health-conscious grocery consumers and foodservice operators.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Wicked Foods industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Plant-Based Frozen Foods
- NAICS
- Frozen Food Manufacturing (31141), Frozen Specialty Food Manufacturing (311412), Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing (31152)
- SIC
- Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030), Food And Kindred Products (2000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Frozen Plant-Based & Vegetarian Meals (CRADADAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Frozen prepared meals & entrées manufacturing (AFAKAHAA), Frozen Prepared Foods & Meals Manufacturing (AFAKACAH), Frozen Prepared Meals Retail (CRAHAJAE), Frozen Prepared Meals & Entrées Wholesale (AFAIAHAG), Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts Wholesale (AFAIAHAC)
Keywords
Where Wicked Foods is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Minneapolis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Wicked Foods business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Frozen Prepared Meals Retail: Sale of chef-crafted frozen plant-based entrees through retail grocery stores including Target, Kroger, and Sprouts. Products include Naked Burrito, Peng Panang Tofu Curry, Korean Inspired Bowl, Seriously Sriracha Tofu & Rice, Hearty Rigatoni Veg Bolognese, and Rockin' Chili Mac.
- Plant-Based Protein Products: Production and sale of plant-based protein products including tofu-based items, mushroom-based meats, and meat alternatives through retail and foodservice channels.
- Foodservice Distribution: Supply of plant-based food products to foodservice operators in both U.S. and U.K. markets.
- E-commerce and Amazon Sales: Direct online sales through Amazon and the company's own website for select products.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels6 records
Wicked Foods product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Wicked Foods manufactures and distributes chef-crafted, frozen plant-based meals, mushroom-based meat alternatives, root vegetable cold cuts, and plant-based ice cream. Its products are sold through major grocery retailers in the United States (Target, Kroger, Sprouts) and the United Kingdom (Tesco), through foodservice channels, and via e-commerce (Amazon, wickedkitchen.com). The company also operates a content platform with more than 420 plant-based recipes and the Wicked Kitchen YouTube series.
Product overview
Wicked Foods operates primarily as a plant-based frozen foods company offering a portfolio of six frozen entree products (Naked Burrito, Peng Panang Tofu Curry, Korean Inspired Bowl, Seriously Sriracha Tofu & Rice, Hearty Rigatoni Veg Bolognese, and Rockin' Chili Mac) distributed through major U.S. retailers (Target, Kroger, Sprouts) and UK retailers (Tesco). The company also produces plant-based ice cream as part of its non-dairy frozen dessert portfolio, and maintains a robust online recipe platform featuring over 420 plant-based recipes. The product strategy centers on chef-crafted, flavor-first convenience foods positioned for mainstream grocery consumers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Naked Burrito Plant-based frozen burrito entree and one of the original four Wicked Kitchen frozen entrees sold through major U.S. retailers including Target, Kroger, and Sprouts.
- Peng Panang Tofu Curry Plant-based frozen entree featuring tofu in panang curry sauce and one of the original four Wicked Kitchen frozen entrees available at U.S. retailers.
- Korean Inspired Bowl Plant-based frozen bowl entree with Korean-inspired flavors and one of the original four Wicked Kitchen frozen entrees sold at U.S. retailers.
- Seriously Sriracha Tofu & Rice Plant-based frozen entree with sriracha-glazed tofu over rice and one of the original four Wicked Kitchen frozen entrees at U.S. retailers.
- Hearty Rigatoni Veg Bolognese Plant-based frozen pasta entree with vegetable bolognese sauce; one of the two newest frozen meal additions carried first nationally at Target.
- Rockin' Chili Mac Plant-based frozen entree combining chili and macaroni; one of the two newest frozen meal additions carried first nationally at Target.
- Plant-Based Ice Cream Non-dairy plant-based frozen dessert products marketed under Wicked Kitchen and identified as a key offering in the U.S. non-dairy frozen dessert market.
- Retail Plant-Based Protein Products Line Retail line of plant-based protein products distributed through U.S. grocery retailers, including mushroom-based meats, tofu-based items, and meat alternatives aimed at consumer shoppers.
- U.S. Foodservice Plant-Based Products Foodservice distribution of plant-based food products to restaurants, catering services, and foodservice operators in the United States.
- U.K. Foodservice Plant-Based Products Foodservice distribution of plant-based food products to restaurants, catering services, and foodservice operators in the United Kingdom.
- Good Catch Plant-Based Seafood Plant-based seafood products sold as part of Wicked Foods' portfolio following the 2022 acquisition of the Good Catch brand.
- Current Foods Plant-Based Brand Plant-based food products sold as part of Wicked Foods' portfolio following the 2023 acquisition of the Current Foods brand.
Quantifiable outcome
- Featured in Netflix docuseries 'You Are What You Eat: A Twin Experiment' alongside other luminaries including Miyoko Schinner and Marion Nestle
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Wicked Foods
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Wicked Foods technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature3 records
Wicked Foods partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, major, core and minor.
- Future Ocean FoodsflagshipWicked Kitchen is a founding partner of Future Ocean Foods, a global seafood association dedicated to supporting and accelerating the alternative seafood industry. The association has 36 member companies across 14 countries. Wicked Co-Founder Chad Sarno serves as a representative. The mission focuses on food security, human health, environmental sustainability, and ocean conservation.
- TargetmajorNationwide launch at Target stores in November 2023. Target is the fourth largest U.S. retailer and was the first national retailer to feature newest Wicked Kitchen frozen meal additions including Hearty Rigatoni Veg Bolognese and Rockin' Chili Mac.
- TescocoreMajor U.K. retailer partner for Wicked Kitchen products. Tesco carries Wicked Kitchen plant-based products in stores across the United Kingdom.
- KrogercoreMajor U.S. grocery chain retail partner. Kroger carries Wicked Kitchen plant-based frozen meals and products in stores across the United States.
- SproutscoreHealth-focused U.S. grocery retailer partner. Sprouts carries Wicked Kitchen plant-based products in stores nationwide.
- Good CatchminorGood Catch plant-based seafood products are sold alongside Wicked Kitchen products as part of the company's plant-based protein offerings.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Wicked Foods competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Alpha Foods: Plant-based frozen meals (burritos, bowls, pizzas) sold in US grocery; closely comparable product set to Wicked Kitchen's frozen entrees and similar target consumer (flexitarian shoppers).
- Dr. Praeger's: Frozen veggie-centric products (burgers, bowls, pancakes) sold in mainstream US grocery; comparable positioning around clean, vegetable-forward frozen foods and overlapping retailer base.
- Beyond Meat: Plant-based protein company selling frozen meals, burgers, and meat alternatives through major US grocery and foodservice channels; most direct large-scale comparable to Wicked Foods in plant-based frozen retail.
- Impossible Foods: Plant-based meat and frozen meal producer with national US grocery distribution and foodservice presence; competes with Wicked in the same freezer aisle and foodservice menu set.
- Gardein (Conagra Brands): Plant-based frozen entrees, tenders, and meat alternatives widely distributed in US grocery; one of the most established frozen plant-based brands and a direct competitor to Wicked Kitchen SKUs.
- Sweet Earth Foods (Nestlé): Plant-based frozen meals and proteins owned by Nestlé; directly competes in the same US grocery frozen aisle and benefits from Nestlé's distribution scale that Wicked lacks.
- Amy's Kitchen: Major natural and mainstream grocery brand for frozen meals (including vegetarian/plant-based lines); broad retailer coverage makes it the dominant incumbent in the frozen meal category where Wicked is expanding.
- Tofurky (The Tofurky Company): Long-standing plant-based brand with frozen meals, deli slices, and meat alternatives distributed across US natural and mainstream grocery; comparable category breadth to Wicked's mushroom-meat and cold-cut innovations.
Emerging players
- Good Catch (Wicked Foods subsidiary): Plant-based seafood brand acquired by Wicked Foods in 2022; closely related brand in the parent company's portfolio and direct play in alternative protein seafood, a category adjacent to Wicked's frozen entrees.
- Nona Lim: Plant-based Asian-inspired frozen meals, noodles, and broths sold through US specialty and mainstream grocery; comparable SKU profile (Korean, Thai, Asian bowls) to Wicked Kitchen's Korean Inspired Bowl and Peng Panang Tofu Curry.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Wicked Foods social profiles
Digital presenceWicked Foods financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Wicked Foods leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Wicked Foods funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds6 records
Investors6 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Wicked Foods M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A2 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Wicked Foods
What does Wicked Foods do?
Wicked Foods manufactures and distributes chef-crafted, frozen plant-based meals, mushroom-based meat alternatives, root vegetable cold cuts, and plant-based ice cream. Its products are sold through major grocery retailers in the United States (Target, Kroger, Sprouts) and the United Kingdom (Tesco), through foodservice channels, and via e-commerce (Amazon, wickedkitchen.com). The company also operates a content platform with more than 420 plant-based recipes and the Wicked Kitchen YouTube series.
Is Wicked Foods a public or private company?
Wicked Foods is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Wicked Foods founded?
Wicked Foods was founded in 2016. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Wicked Foods based?
Wicked Foods is headquartered in Minneapolis, United States, in the North America region.
How does Wicked Foods make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Frozen Prepared Meals Retail is the primary driver. The others are plant-Based Protein Products, foodservice Distribution and E-commerce and Amazon Sales.
Who are Wicked Foods's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Alpha Foods, Dr. Praeger's, Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods, Gardein (Conagra Brands), Sweet Earth Foods (Nestlé), Amy's Kitchen and Tofurky (The Tofurky Company). Emerging players are Good Catch (Wicked Foods subsidiary) and Nona Lim.
Does Wicked Foods have an API?
No public API is recorded for Wicked Foods.
What industry is Wicked Foods in?
Wicked Foods's product category is Plant-Based Frozen Foods. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADADAF, Frozen Plant-Based & Vegetarian Meals, with a secondary code of AFAKAHAA, Frozen prepared meals & entrées manufacturing. Its NAICS code is 31141 and its SIC code is 2030.