The Pure Food Co.

What The Pure Food Co. does

The Pure Food Co is a New Zealand-based food service company founded in 2013 by Sam Bridgewater and Maia Royal that produces IDDSI-compliant (Levels 4 and 5) texture-modified meals fortified with high-quality pea and rice proteins for elderly people at risk of malnutrition or living with dysphagia. Its core technology combines food fortification (40-41% more protein, 60% more energy than comparable meals) with proprietary moulding/shaping processes that present pureed food in recognisable forms (e.g., lamb chop, chicken drumstick), increasing consumption by approximately 20% relative to uniform scoops. The product line spans breakfast, main meals, snacks, desserts, and smoothies across 4,500 chef-developed meal options, with 56 individual SKUs stocked Australia-wide, supported by full farm-to-fork traceability.

The company operates from a purpose-built 600+ square metre manufacturing facility in Mt Wellington, Auckland, which was future-proofed for approximately 15x growth and produces up to 2 tonnes of product per day (~40,000 meals per month as of 2017). It serves three customer segments: aged care facilities (the primary segment), hospitals and healthcare providers via large catering groups such as Compass Group, and individual home consumers via direct delivery through its own website in Australia and a partnership with EAT in New Zealand. Revenue is generated through quote-based B2B subscriptions to aged care chains under multi-year contracts, bundled with implementation, staff training, and menu planning services, supplemented by recurring D2C home delivery orders.

The Pure Food Co operates in New Zealand, Australia, and France (as of 2024), serving more than 600 aged care homes across Australia and New Zealand. It is privately held, founded and led by its co-founders alongside Australian Director Chris Deed, and has funded growth primarily through organic revenue and six successive non-dilutive Callaghan Innovation grants rather than venture capital. It holds Gold Sponsorship of IDDSI and won the 2024 Asia Pacific Eldercare Innovation Award for Innovation of the Year.

Name

The Pure Food Co.

Legal name

The Pure Food Co

Website

https://thepurefoodco.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Pure Food Co is a New Zealand food service company that produces IDDSI-compliant, protein-fortified texture-modified meals for elderly people with dysphagia, serving aged care facilities, hospitals, and home consumers across New Zealand, Australia, and France.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Texture-Modified Food Manufacturing

NAICS

Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing (311991), Food Manufacturing (311), Frozen Food Manufacturing (31141)

SIC

Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Frozen prepared meals & entrées manufacturing (AFAKAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Functional Senior Nutrition Foods Manufacturing (High-Protein, Bone/Joint Support Foods) (AFAKAJAK), Meal kits & subscription meal components manufacturing (AFAKAHAD), Cold Prepared Foods & Meal Components (Sides, Proteins, Family Meals) (CRAHAKAC)

Keywords

• Texture modified meals
• Aged care nutrition
• Dysphagia food solutions
• Fortified meal production
• IDDSI compliant foods

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. B2B Sales to Aged Care & Healthcare Facilities: Supplying texture-modified meals to aged care homes, hospitals, and healthcare facilities across Australia and New Zealand. Facilities purchase directly as a single, reliable national supplier for all TMF needs.
2. Direct-to-Home Consumer Sales: Home delivery of texture-modified meals directly to individual consumers in New Zealand via partnered EAT platform, and in Australia. Consumers order through online portal for home delivery.
3. Staff Training & Implementation Services: The Pure Food Co provides wrap-around support including staff training, implementation support, and menu planning for aged care providers, bundled with product supply.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Pure Food Co. manufactures and supplies IDDSI-compliant texture-modified meals fortified with high-quality pea and rice proteins for aged care facilities, hospitals, and individual consumers. The company produces 56+ individual products across breakfast, main meals, snacks, desserts, and smoothies, with meals containing 40-41% more protein and 60% more energy than comparable offerings. They sell B2B to aged care and healthcare facilities across Australia and New Zealand, and direct-to-home to individual consumers via their own website and a partnership with EAT in New Zealand.

Product overview

The Pure Food Co offers a nutrition system for healthier ageing, consisting of texture-modified food products across five core categories: Breakfast, Main Meals, Snacks, Desserts, and Smoothies. All products are IDDSI-compliant (Levels 4 and 5) and fortified with high-quality protein to address the protein deficit in older adults. The company operates primarily in aged care and healthcare settings, providing meals that are designed to be safe, nutritious, and visually appealing for those with swallowing difficulties (dysphagia). Products include individual components (meat, vegetables, carbohydrates) rather than uniform mash, shaped into recognisable forms using plastic moulds. The company stocks 56 individual breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack products Australia-wide, with a modular format allowing for eating little and often throughout the day. Direct-to-home delivery is available in New Zealand through partnership with EAT.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Texture-Modified Meal Range (B2B) A B2B range of IDDSI-compliant texture-modified meals supplied to aged care homes, retirement villages, and hospitals across Australia and New Zealand. The range includes fortified breakfast products, main meals, snacks, desserts, and smoothies, with meals containing 40-41% more protein and 60% more energy than comparable offerings. Available in IDDSI Level 4 (Puree) and Level 5 (Minced & Moist) textures. Sold as a single national supplier solution with bundled staff training, implementation support, and menu planning.
• Direct-to-Home Texture Modified Meals IDDSI Level 4 Puree meals delivered direct to home for individual consumers living with dysphagia or other swallowing difficulties. In New Zealand, distributed through a partnership with EAT (eat.co.nz); in Australia, delivered via the company's own direct-to-home website with a register-interest model. Each component of the meal is pureed and fortified with nutrition, allowing users to simply thaw, heat, and eat.
• Bariatric Surgery Recovery Packs High-protein pureed food packs designed for individuals recovering from bariatric surgery, delivering 60-90g of protein daily with appropriate consistency for post-surgery dietary needs.
• Staff Training, Implementation and Menu Planning Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 38% reduction in weight loss among aged care residents
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, key and foundational.

• EATcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with EAT (eat.co.nz) to enable home delivery of The Pure Food Co's texture-modified meals directly to individual consumers in New Zealand. EAT platform handles the ordering and delivery logistics, making it easy for New Zealanders to access the meals at home.
• Ryman HealthcarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLarge aged care provider customer of The Pure Food Co. Ryman Healthcare operates retirement villages across New Zealand and Australia and purchases texture-modified meals from The Pure Food Co for their residents.
• Compass GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor international catering company supplying hospitals and healthcare facilities. Compass Group sources The Pure Food Co's meals for hospital patients requiring texture-modified diets.
• Uniting NSW.ACTkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniting NSW.ACT is a major aged care and community services provider. Partnership demonstrates trust earned by The Pure Food Co in the aged care sector, driving meaningful improvements in senior nutrition.
• Cater PluskeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerCater Plus is an aged care food service provider. Collaboration focused on improving nutrition and dining outcomes for aged care residents.
• ArcarekeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerArcare is one of Australia's leading aged care providers with multiple facilities. The Pure Food Co supplies texture-modified meals that improve presentation, nutritional outcomes, and reduce kitchen risk. Arcare's chefs save time and redirect engagement to residents.
• The FoodBowlfoundationalStrategic or Co-development PartnerAuckland food innovation incubator where The Pure Food Co developed and scaled their products before building their own manufacturing facility. The FoodBowl provided access to technology, equipment, and expertise for product development and scaling from small batches to 2 tonnes/day.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Pure Food Co competitor: Premier Foods Healthcare: Large UK food manufacturer with a healthcare and care-home nutrition range, including texture-modified meals. It is a broader incumbent that competes with The Pure Food Co in the care home channel, albeit across a much wider food portfolio.
• Lyons Magnus: US-based manufacturer of medical, functional and fortified foods supplied to hospitals, long-term care, and foodservice. Comparable in producing protein-fortified, condition-specific nutrition products targeting elderly and clinical populations.
• Nestlé Health Science: Global medical nutrition business with products in dysphagia, oral nutritional supplements, and disease-specific nutrition. Competes with The Pure Food Co at the upper end of the aged-care nutrition market, with far greater R&D and distribution scale.
• Compass Group (Healthcare & Senior Living): Largest contract caterer globally, with significant aged-care and hospital meal provision. Notably, Compass Group is both a customer and a potential competitor of The Pure Food Co through its own texture-modified and fortified meal programs.
• Abbott Nutrition: Global leader in clinical and medical nutrition (e.g., Ensure, Glucerna) widely used in aged care and hospital settings. Overlaps with The Pure Food Co in serving malnourished elderly populations, though Abbott's portfolio is supplements-led rather than texture-modified meals.
• Sodexo (Senior Living segment): Global food services and facilities management giant with a dedicated senior living and aged-care meal offering. Comparable in serving the same end customers (aged care operators) and in providing full meal solutions, but at vastly greater scale and as part of a broader services portfolio.

Direct peers

• Hormel Health Labs: US-based specialist in dysphagia and texture-modified foods (e.g., Thick & Easy, pureed meals) for hospitals and long-term care. Comparable in focus on IDDSI-equivalent standards, clinical nutrition positioning, and aged care/hospital customer base.
• apetito: UK-headquartered food service group with a dedicated 'apetito Care' line supplying texture-modified and fortified meals to care homes and hospitals across Europe. It is the closest direct competitor to The Pure Food Co in product format, customer base (aged care), and IDDSI-aligned offering.

Regional players

• Meals on Wheels (various national operators): Network of regional home-delivered meal providers, particularly relevant in Australia and New Zealand. They overlap with The Pure Food Co's D2C home delivery ambition for elderly consumers requiring texture-modified nutrition, though typically at a more basic nutritional level.

Emerging players

• SimplyThick (Functional Food Solutions): Specialist in thickening agents and dysphagia products for individuals with swallowing difficulties. It is an adjacent player in the same IDDSI-aligned ecosystem, often used alongside or as a complement to texture-modified meals in aged care.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/thepurefoodconz

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds6 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Pure Food Co.