Ample Foods
Ample Foods is a San Francisco-based direct-to-consumer meal replacement brand founded in 2015, selling real-food low-carb and high-carb shake formulas via its Shopify storefront to health-conscious professionals and athletes through one-time and subscription purchases.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Ample Foods does
Ample Foods is a San Francisco-based, direct-to-consumer packaged food company founded in 2015 by Connor Young that produces real-food meal replacement shakes marketed to health-conscious busy professionals, athletes, and fitness enthusiasts. Its product portfolio centers on three proprietary formulas optimized for distinct metabolic outcomes: Ample Original, a low-carb shake with 25g protein and 4g net carbs per 400-calorie serving for fat-burning and inflammation reduction; Ample Recover, a high-carb performance shake with 31g protein and 33g clean carbs for muscle protein synthesis and glycogen replenishment; and a plant-based dairy-free variant. Additional SKUs include Ample K (keto-targeted, 74% calories from fat) and Ample V. All products feature grass-fed whey, organic sweet potato, coconut and macadamia oils, a six-strain probiotic blend delivering four times the probiotic content of yogurt, prebiotic fiber, electrolytes, and antioxidants, with zero gluten, soy, GMOs, or artificial additives.
The business operates exclusively through its own Shopify-powered e-commerce storefront at amplemeal.com, with no retail, wholesale, or third-party marketplace presence. Revenue is generated via one-time purchases and a flexible subscription model offering 15% recurring discounts with skip, swap, and cancel-anytime mechanics. Products are priced from $79 to $108 per unit across canister (15-meal) and 12-pack bottle formats in 400 and 600 calorie sizes, in chocolate, vanilla, and berry flavors. Manufacturing occurs in Arizona with ingredients sourced globally for sustainability. The company has raised approximately $6.26 million across six disclosed funding rounds from 2016 through 2020, with Slow Ventures leading the 2018 round.
Customer acquisition is driven by content marketing through the 'Optimal Nutrition Simplified' podcast, an educational blog covering keto, carnivore, and performance nutrition topics, and influencer endorsements from high-profile individuals including a former US Vice President, NYT bestselling authors, and a CrossFit Games champion. Earned media coverage spans Forbes, CNN, Bloomberg Businessweek, and the Los Angeles Times. The company maintains a Facebook community (Team Ample), an email newsletter, and donates unused product to shelters and food banks. Despite thousands of customers, the team remains at 1-10 employees, indicating highly lean operations relative to scale.
Ample Foods firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ample Foods
- Legal name
- Ample Foods
- Website
- https://amplemeal.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Ample Foods is a San Francisco-based direct-to-consumer meal replacement brand founded in 2015, selling real-food low-carb and high-carb shake formulas via its Shopify storefront to health-conscious professionals and athletes through one-time and subscription purchases.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ample Foods industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Meal Replacement Nutrition
- SIC
- Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090), Food And Kindred Products (2000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Protein & Meal-Replacement Beverage Production (RTD Shakes) (AFAFAFAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Weight Management & Meal Replacement Foods Manufacturing (Shakes, Bars, Portion-Controlled Meals) (AFAKAJAF), Protein & Sports Dairy Beverages (RTD Protein Shakes, High-Protein Milk) (AFAHAIAD), Sports & Performance Nutrition Foods Manufacturing (Protein Foods, Energy Gels/Bars) (AFAKAJAE), Medical Nutrition & Meal Replacement (RTD, Bars, Powders) (CRADAGAN)
Keywords
Where Ample Foods is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Ample Foods business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Product Sales: Ample Foods generates revenue through direct-to-consumer sales of meal replacement shakes. Products are sold in various formats including canisters (bulk, 15x 400 cal meals) and bottles (12-pack of 400 or 600 cal meals) in chocolate, vanilla, and berry flavors. Both Ample Original (low-carb) and Ample Recover (high-carb) product lines are available with pricing from $79 to $108 per unit.
- Subscription Revenue: Recurring subscription model offering 15% discount on all orders. Subscribers receive flexibility to change delivery dates, skip shipments, swap products, and gain priority shipment during backorders. Subscriptions are non-committed with no lock-in period.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Ample Original Low-Carb Meal Shake |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Ample Original Plant-Based Dairy-Free |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Ample Recover Performance Meal Shake |
| Subscription | Monthly | Subscription Discount |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Ample Foods product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ample Foods manufactures and sells ready-to-drink meal replacement shakes designed for busy, health-conscious consumers and athletes. Its portfolio of real-food, science-formulated shakes provides complete balanced nutrition in portable 400- and 600-calorie bottles or bulk canisters, sold direct-to-consumer via an e-commerce storefront with both one-time and subscription purchase options.
Product overview
Ample Foods offers a line of meal replacement shakes designed to provide optimal nutrition for busy lifestyles. The product portfolio consists of three distinct formulas: Ample Original (a low-carb meal shake with 25g protein and 4g net carbs per 400 calories, available in chocolate and vanilla flavors), Ample Recover (a high-carb performance meal shake with 31g protein and 33g carbs per 400 calories for workout recovery), and Ample Original Plant-Based/Dairy-Free (a berry-flavored vegan alternative). Products are sold in multiple formats including 400-calorie bottles (12-pack), 600-calorie bottles (12-pack), and bulk canisters (15 meals each). All products feature real-food ingredients with zero gluten, soy, GMOs, or artificial additives.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Ample Original: Low-carb meal shake available in chocolate, vanilla, and plant-based berry flavors. Contains 25g protein and 4g net carbs per 400 calorie meal.
- Ample Recover
- Ample V
- Ample K
Products and services
- Ample Original: Low-Carb Meal Shake A complete real-food meal replacement shake with 25g protein and just 4g net carbs per 400-calorie meal, designed to reduce inflammation and burn fat for fuel. Available in chocolate and vanilla flavors in canister (15 meals) and bottle (12-pack, 400- and 600-calorie) formats.
- Ample Recover: Performance Meal Shake A complete performance meal for athletes and active users with 31g protein and 33g clean carbs per 400-calorie meal, designed to maximize muscle protein synthesis and replenish glycogen on higher activity days. Available in chocolate flavor in canister and 400-calorie 12-pack bottle formats.
- Ample Original: Low-Carb Meal Shake, Plant-Based, Dairy-Free
Quantifiable outcome
- 4x probiotic content compared to yogurt (6 probiotic strains)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Ample Foods
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Ample Foods technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Ample Foods partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Kelly Starrett (MobilityWOD/San Francisco CrossFit)minorKelly Starrett, DPT and founder of MobilityWOD, recommended Ample to Joe Biden during his presidential campaign. Starrett serves as performance advisor and has been a vocal supporter of the brand.
- Various Food Banks and SheltersminorAmple donates unused Ample meals to organizations in need, including shelters and food banks such as Odyssey House NYC, supporting community wellness initiatives.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Ample Foods competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Koia: Koia produces plant-based RTD protein drinks sold through DTC, grocery, and foodservice, marketed as clean-label, dairy-free, low-sugar nutrition. Comparable on RTD format, plant-based positioning (overlapping Ample's dairy-free SKU), and macro-conscious target consumer.
- Ka'Chava: Ka'Chava is a premium plant-based meal replacement shake sold DTC with subscription, targeting health-conscious consumers seeking complete nutrition in a single serving. Closely matches Ample's premium positioning, real-food ingredient story, and athlete/influencer-driven brand strategy.
- Huel: Huel is a leading global meal replacement brand offering powdered and RTD meal products with a similar value proposition to Ample: complete, convenient, real-food nutrition for busy consumers. Directly comparable in category, customer profile, and DTC-led subscription model.
- OWYN (Only What You Need): OWYN produces plant-based protein shakes and meal replacements sold through DTC, natural, and conventional retail. Comparable RTD shake format, macro-conscious positioning (high protein, low sugar), and overlap with Ample's dairy-free product line.
- Athletic Greens (AG1): AG1 is a premium daily nutritional drink sold primarily DTC via subscription, positioned as comprehensive daily nutrition for high-performing professionals and athletes. Overlaps with Ample on target customer (busy health-optimized professionals), premium subscription DTC model, and influencer/athlete-driven marketing.
- Orgain: Orgain makes clean-ingredient protein shakes, powders, and meal replacements sold via DTC, grocery, and healthcare channels. Comparable in 'clean-label' positioning, meal replacement category, and target consumer (health-conscious adults) — though Orgain is broader and has deeper retail penetration.
- Soylent: Soylent is a direct competitor in the RTD meal replacement shake category, offering nutritionally-complete bottled meals targeting busy professionals and gamers. Highly comparable product format (RTD bottles), target buyer (health-conscious busy consumers), and business model (DTC + retail) to Ample Foods.
- Iconic Protein: Iconic Protein offers grass-fed whey and plant-based RTD protein drinks with a clean-label, low-sugar positioning. Directly comparable on RTD format, clean-ingredient claims, and protein-forward nutrition — narrower than Ample on full meal replacement.
- Aloha: Aloha makes plant-based protein bars and RTD protein drinks positioned as organic, low-sugar, and clean-label, sold DTC and through natural retail. Comparable on plant-based, clean-ingredient positioning and macro-conscious consumer overlap with Ample's Recover and plant-based lines.
- RXBAR: RXBAR is a clean-ingredient protein bar brand (now owned by Mars) that Ample explicitly benchmarks against (35% more protein, 3x more clean starches, 6x less sugar). Comparable on real-food positioning, health-conscious target buyer, and clean-label CPG marketing.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Ample Foods social profiles
Digital presenceAmple Foods financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ample Foods leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Ample Foods funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds6 records
Investors10 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ample Foods 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 Ample Foods
What does Ample Foods do?
Ample Foods manufactures and sells ready-to-drink meal replacement shakes designed for busy, health-conscious consumers and athletes. Its portfolio of real-food, science-formulated shakes provides complete balanced nutrition in portable 400- and 600-calorie bottles or bulk canisters, sold direct-to-consumer via an e-commerce storefront with both one-time and subscription purchase options.
Is Ample Foods a public or private company?
Ample Foods is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Ample Foods founded?
Ample Foods was founded in 2015. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Ample Foods based?
Ample Foods is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Ample Foods make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are subscription Revenue.
Who are Ample Foods's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Koia, Ka'Chava, Huel, OWYN (Only What You Need), Athletic Greens (AG1), Orgain, Soylent, Iconic Protein, Aloha and RXBAR.
Does Ample Foods have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ample Foods.
What industry is Ample Foods in?
Ample Foods's product category is Meal Replacement Nutrition. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAFAFAD, Protein & Meal-Replacement Beverage Production (RTD Shakes), with a secondary code of AFAKAJAF, Weight Management & Meal Replacement Foods Manufacturing (Shakes, Bars, Portion-Controlled Meals). Its SIC code is 2090.