Rethink Food

What Rethink Food does

Rethink Food is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2017 by Chef Matt Jozwiak, with Daniel Humm (Eleven Madison Park) joining as co-founder in 2020. Headquartered in Greenwich Village, New York, the organization operates a chef-led model that partners with more than 200 local restaurants — 80% of which are minority- or women-owned — to convert surplus restaurant food and contracted meal production into nutritious meals for food-insecure communities across six U.S. cities.

Its core operational programs are: (1) Neighborhood Meals, which uses a network of ~119 community-based organizations to distribute chef-prepared meals sourced from restaurant partners; (2) Medically Tailored Meals, delivering free home-delivered, dietitian- and chef-crafted meals to eligible Medicaid members under New York State's Medicaid 1115 Waiver in partnership with NYC Health + Hospitals; (3) the Sustainable Community Kitchen, an 800-square-foot facility in Greenwich Village producing 30,000 meals per week; and (4) Rapid Response, an emergency-meal contracting program responding to government and private RFPs. Supporting programs include Rethink Certified (a partner recognition mark) and the proposed Chef-to-Community Tax Credit (NY Assembly Bill A09055).

Rethink Food's revenue model blends tax-deductible donations and foundation grants, government healthcare contracts (Medicaid 1115 Waiver), and a 2% opt-out diner donation mechanism piloted at high-profile restaurant partners. The organization does not publicly disclose financials; with 11–50 employees and an extensive leadership bench, it operates multiple parallel programs while directing the majority of gross program funds (cumulatively $157.5M+ since 2017) to participating restaurants as the principal economic engine of the model.

Name

Rethink Food

Legal name

Rethink Food USA Inc.

Website

https://rethinkfood.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Rethink Food is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2017 that partners with 200+ restaurants and 119 community-based organizations to deliver chef-led meals to food-insecure individuals across six U.S. cities, including Medicaid-funded medically tailored meals in New York.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Food Assistance Services

NAICS

Caterers (722320)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (Fair Trade, Food Access, Regenerative) (BPAGALAD)

Keywords

• Food insecurity solutions
• Meal distribution services
• Restaurant partnership programs
• Medically tailored meals
• Community nutrition programs

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: Rethink Food operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization supported by individual donations, corporate donations, and foundation grants. Tax-deductible contributions fund operations and meal programs.
2. Government Contracts: Medicaid-funded Medically Tailored Meals program under New York State's Medicaid 1115 Waiver provides free home-delivered meals to eligible Medicaid clients, creating a recurring revenue stream from government healthcare programs.
3. 2% Opt-Out Restaurant Donations: Restaurant partners like Michael's Genuine Food & Drink and Amara at Paraiso implement a 2% opt-out donation from diners, raising funds that are reinvested into small restaurants to prepare community meals.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Rethink Food is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that partners with restaurants to convert donated surplus food into nutritious, chef-prepared meals for food-insecure communities. The organization operates a Sustainable Community Kitchen producing 30,000 meals weekly, runs a Medicaid-funded Medically Tailored Meals home delivery program, and distributes meals through a network of community-based organizations. It also advocates for systemic policy change via the proposed Chef-to-Community Tax Credit.

Product overview

Rethink Food is a chef-led nonprofit operating multiple interconnected programs to address food insecurity through restaurant partnerships. The core offerings include Neighborhood Meals (pandemic-launched restaurant meal program), Rapid Response (emergency meal contracts launched 2023), and Medically Tailored Meals (Medicaid-covered home delivery). The Sustainable Community Kitchen serves as the operational hub for chef-led meal production at 30,000 meals weekly. Additional programs include the Chef-to-Community Tax Credit advocacy initiative and Rethink Certified partner recognition. SERVICE provides fundraising through premium five-course dining experiences. Since 2017, over 200 restaurant partners have powered the network, with $157.5M+ directed to local restaurants and 35M+ meals distributed.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Rethink Certified: A certification program recognizing restaurants and businesses that support Rethink Food's mission through meal preparation, financial support, or product/in-kind donations
• Chef-to-Community Tax Credit

Products and services

• Restaurant Programs (Neighborhood Meals) Partners with local restaurants to prepare or donate meals for community-based organizations serving food-insecure populations; originally launched during the 2020 pandemic.
• Rapid Response Emergency and ongoing meal-making contracts partnering with government and private agencies, leveraging vetted local restaurants that meet required service, standards, and capacity.
• Medically Tailored Meals Free home-delivered meals crafted by dietitians and chefs for eligible Medicaid clients under New York State's Medicaid 1115 Waiver to support medical and nutritional needs.
• Sustainable Community Kitchen (SCK) Chef-led, dignified meal production facility in Greenwich Village preparing 30,000 nutritious meals weekly for communities in need, blending culinary expertise with community care.
• Chef-to-Community Tax Credit Coalition initiative advocating for tax credits to empower food establishments nationwide to serve nutritious, chef-prepared meals while providing fiscal incentives to sustain and grow their businesses.
• Rethink Certified Program recognizing restaurants and businesses that commit to supporting Rethink Food's mission through meal preparation, financial support, or product/in-kind donations.
• SERVICE Dinner Series Intimate five-course dinner series with beverage pairings presented by Chef Daniel Humm at the Sustainable Community Kitchen, featuring Michelin-star chefs and raising funds for work across NYC.

Quantifiable outcome

• 35 million meals distributed to food-insecure communities across 6 cities since 2017
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered pilot, core, minor and flagship.

• The Hive (21c Museum Hotel, Bentonville)pilotStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Pilot partner for the Chef-to-Community Tax Credit program in Bentonville, Arkansas. The Hive prepared and donated chef-made meals to Second Street Pantry, with Rethink Food compensating at tax credit rates to test the model's feasibility.
• The Genuine Hospitality Group (Michael Schwartz)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Miami expansion partner led by Chef Michael Schwartz. Through 2% opt-out donations at Michael's Genuine Food & Drink and Amara at Paraiso, has raised $1.3 million funding 246,000 meals and supporting local restaurants.
• Second Street Pantry (Bentonville, AR)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Nonprofit pantry in Bentonville, Arkansas that received over 2,690 high-quality meals from The Hive restaurant as part of the Chef-to-Community Tax Credit pilot program.
• NYC Health + HospitalscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partnership with NYC's public health system to provide culturally sensitive meals to asylum seekers and Medicaid patients under the 1115 Waiver program.
• City of New YorkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020City partnership during pandemic to launch Neighborhood Meals Program, distributing 2.4 million meals in collaboration with 60 restaurant partners and 119 community organizations. Also partnered during the 2023 migrant crisis through the Rapid Response program.
• Eleven Madison ParkflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Daniel Humm's three-star Michelin and World's 50 Best restaurant was one of Rethink Food's first partners. In 2020, Eleven Madison Park transformed into a commissary kitchen for the Neighborhood Meals Program during the pandemic. Currently provides produce from Magic Farms upstate to the Sustainable Community Kitchen and hosts Rethink Food's annual gala.
• 60 Restaurant Partners (Neighborhood Meals Program)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRestaurant partners during the 2020 pandemic Neighborhood Meals Program that prepared meals for communities, distributing 2.4 million meals with 60 restaurant partners and 119 community organizations.
• 119 Community OrganizationscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCommunity-based organizations that distributed meals to food-insecure populations throughout New York City as part of the Neighborhood Meals Program.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Feeding America: Nationwide network of 200+ food banks and the largest U.S. hunger-relief organization. Broad incumbent operating at vastly larger scale with a food bank distribution model rather than chef-led meal production.

Others

• The Food Trust: Philadelphia-based nonprofit working on food access, nutrition education, and policy. Adjacent ecosystem player in the hunger/food-system space with policy advocacy comparable to Rethink Food's Chef-to-Community Tax Credit work.

Emerging players

• Move For Hunger: Nonprofit that mobilizes moving companies to transport donated food to food banks. Adjacent mission in food rescue with a logistics/triage model rather than direct meal production.
• Rescuing Leftover Cuisine: National nonprofit focused on rescuing surplus food from restaurants and businesses. Emerging player with overlapping restaurant food rescue mission but operates at smaller scale and without a production kitchen.

Direct peers

• Food Bank for New York City: NYC's major food bank distributing food to pantries and soup kitchens citywide. Direct peer in NYC food insecurity mission though operating a pantry/distribution model rather than chef-led meal production.
• Martha's Table: DC-based nonprofit addressing food insecurity, education, and family support with a focus on dignified food access. Comparable in mission and emphasis on dignity, though smaller scale and DC-focused.
• City Harvest: NYC-based food rescue organization that collects surplus food from restaurants and businesses and delivers it to food-insecure communities. Closest direct peer given shared NYC food rescue and restaurant partnership model.
• Community Servings: Boston-based nonprofit producing medically tailored, home-delivered meals for individuals and families affected by critical and chronic illness. Direct peer on medically tailored meal operations and nonprofit food-as-medicine model.
• God's Love We Deliver: NYC nonprofit that cooks and home-delivers medically tailored meals to people living with serious illness. Directly comparable on the Medically Tailored Meals program and chef-led meal preparation model.
• DC Central Kitchen: Washington DC nonprofit that combats hunger by recycling food, training culinary students, and operating social enterprises. Comparable chef-led meal production and food recovery model at scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/rethinkfood
• Xx.com/rethinkfood
• Facebookfacebook.com/RethinkFoodHQ

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments5 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Rethink Food