Ovie
Ovie (Wide Afternoon, LLC) is a Chicago-based consumer hardware company that sells the LightTag, a reusable color-coded freshness-tracking device that attaches to food containers, serving U.S. households through direct-to-consumer e-commerce with persona-specific bundles for parents and caregivers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Ovie does
Ovie (legally Wide Afternoon, LLC, also operating as Ovie Smarterware) is a Chicago-based consumer hardware company founded in 2017 that designs, sells, and distributes the LightTag smart food freshness tracking system. Its core product, the LightTag, is a small, reusable, coin-cell-powered device that attaches to any food container and uses a color-coded LED ring (teal = fresh, yellow = use soon, red = expired) driven by a user-set countdown timer (1–30 days). An integrated light sensor activates the LEDs only when the refrigerator door opens, conserving battery life. The enclosure is IP54-rated for kitchen durability, and the device operates without an app, smartphone, or internet connection; a blinking-rate fallback makes it accessible to color-blind users. Ovie has filed a patent on the freshness-tracking system and sells accessory replacement connectors, coin-cell batteries, and a OneTouch Food Storage Container line in BPA-free Tritan and Ecozen materials.
Ovie monetizes almost entirely through direct-to-consumer e-commerce on ovie.life, with hardware kit SKUs ranging from a single LightTag at $20.00 to a 9-pack at $138.00, plus a specialized $98 First Foods baby-tracking bundle, a $28 SmarterWare container-plus-LightTag bundle, and low-priced consumables ($6 connector pack, $9 battery 3-pack, $12.99 containers). The company operates a wholesale/bulk channel for orders exceeding 24 units (covering domestic and international distribution) and an affiliate program. Customer segments are horizontal across U.S. households but targeted via persona-specific messaging toward general families, new/breastfeeding parents, caregivers for elderly relatives, and meal preppers. Marketing relies on content (blog/SEO), organic social (@fridgesmarter), email, affiliate referrals, and earned media (CNN Tech, The Today Show, Food & Wine, Innovation Nation, ParentCo). The company is privately held, appears bootstrapped with no disclosed institutional funding, and operates with 1–10 employees.
Ovie firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ovie
- Legal name
- Wide Afternoon, LLC
- Website
- https://ovie.life
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Ovie (Wide Afternoon, LLC) is a Chicago-based consumer hardware company that sells the LightTag, a reusable color-coded freshness-tracking device that attaches to food containers, serving U.S. households through direct-to-consumer e-commerce with persona-specific bundles for parents and caregivers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ovie industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Smart Kitchen Devices
- NAICS
- Small Electrical Appliance Manufacturing (33521)
- SIC
- Electric Housewares & Fans (3634)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Hydration, Nutrition & Metabolic Tracking Devices (Smart Bottles, Breath/Metabolic Analyzers) (CRACAQAI)
Keywords
Where Ovie is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Ovie business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Personnel
Revenue model
- LightTag Hardware Sales: One-time purchase of LightTag devices sold in various kit sizes (1, 3, 6, 9 tags). Each kit includes LightTags, reusable sticky connectors, and coin cell batteries. No app required - standalone product.
- Accessories & Consumables: Sales of replacement accessories including 3 Connectors ($6), LightTag Extra Batteries (3-pack, $9), and OneTouch Food Storage Containers ($12.99). Repeat purchases for existing customers.
- Bulk & Wholesale: Discounted pricing for bulk orders exceeding 24 LightTags. Available for companies, distribution partners, and international markets.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | LightTag - One |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | LightTags - Set of 3 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | LightTags - Set of 6 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | LightTags - Set of 9 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | LightTags - First Foods (Baby) Set of 6 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | SmarterWare Single Bundle |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 3 Connectors |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | LightTag Extra Batteries (3) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | OneTouch Food Storage Container |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Ovie product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ovie designs, manufactures, and sells LightTag, a smart food freshness tracking device that uses color-coded LED light rings (teal, yellow, red) to visually signal when food is approaching expiration. Each LightTag is attached to a food container via a reusable sticky connector, and the user sets a countdown timer by pressing the device once per day of tracking (up to 30 days). The hardware is sold directly to consumers through the company's e-commerce website in kit sizes and is bundled with replacement accessories and OneTouch food storage containers.
Product overview
Ovie is a smart food freshness tracking company offering the LightTag system as its core product platform. LightTags are reusable, time-based tracking devices with a stoplight-inspired color system (teal/yellow/red) that alert users when food is approaching expiration. The product line includes LightTags sold in various bundle sizes (1, 3, 6, 9 units) with reusable connectors, the OneTouch Food Storage Container as an add-on smart container, the SmarterWare bundle combining container and LightTag, and accessories including extra batteries and connectors. The system operates without an app or internet connection, relying on an integrated light sensor that activates when the refrigerator door opens.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- LightTags Smart food freshness tracking hardware device with a color-coded LED light ring (teal/yellow/red) that signals when food is approaching expiration. The user sets a countdown timer by pressing the device once per day of tracking, up to 30 days. An integrated light sensor activates the LED ring only when the refrigerator door opens to conserve battery. Targets general households managing leftovers, meal prep, and opened food items.
- LightTags - First Foods (Set of 6) Specialized variant of the LightTag system designed for tracking baby foods including breastmilk, formula, purees, pouches, yogurts, and cereals. Includes 6 LightTags, reusable connectors, and coin cell batteries. Made with BPA-free, food-safe materials for infant use.
- OneTouch Food Storage Container One-handed operation food storage container with an airtight seal and pivot handles. Made from BPA-free Tritan plastic and Ecozen plant-based material. Designed to pair with the LightTag system and is sold as an add-on container accessory.
- SmarterWare Single Bundle Bundle that pairs one OneTouch Food Storage Container with one LightTag, connector, and battery, offering an integrated smart food storage and tracking unit in a single purchase.
- LightTag Extra Batteries (3-pack) Replacement CR2450 coin cell batteries for LightTag devices, sold in a 3-pack. Compatible with all LightTag units as a consumable accessory.
- 3 Connectors Replacement reusable sticky connectors for attaching LightTags to food storage containers, sold as a set of 3. Consumable accessory for the LightTag system.
Quantifiable outcome
- Americans waste approximately 35% of the food they bring home
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Ovie
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Ovie technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Ovie partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Ovie competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Simplehuman: Premium sensor-based consumer hardware brand for kitchen and bath (auto soap dispensers, sensor mirrors, trash cans). Comparable because it sells sensor-driven, app-free consumer hardware through D2C and retail at similar mid-to-premium price points.
- Drop (Kitchen Stories / Drop Scale): Smart kitchen scale and recipe app aimed at home cooks and bakers. Comparable as a connected/smart food-prep consumer device targeting household cooking workflows, though more app-centric than Ovie.
- Anova Culinary: Smart sous vide and connected cooking appliances for the home cook. Comparable as a D2C smart kitchen hardware brand targeting food-quality outcomes with a connected/IoT angle.
- ThermoWorks: Specialist in food thermometers and timers (ThermoPro, etc.) with visual/audible cues for cooking precision. Comparable because it sells standalone, no-app-required food-tracking instruments to households at similar price points.
- Smarter (smarter.am): Connected kitchen appliances (iKettle, FridgeCam) targeting the same 'smart food storage' problem from a different angle. Directly comparable as a smart-kitchen IoT brand focused on freshness/inventory.
Broad incumbents
- Joseph Joseph: Design-forward kitchen tools, gadgets, and food storage. Comparable as a broader premium kitchen brand selling through the same retail and D2C channels Ovie targets, with overlapping food-storage SKUs.
- OXO (OXO International): Mass-market kitchen tools, food storage, and household gadgets with strong retail distribution. Comparable as an incumbent in the food-storage/kitchen-tools space where LightTags compete for shelf and consumer mind-share.
- Tupperware Brands: Iconic food storage container brand and category leader. Comparable as the dominant food-storage brand whose installed base of containers Ovie's LightTags attach to.
Emerging players
- Lomi (by Pela): Countertop electric food-waste composter from a mission-driven CPG brand. Comparable as a D2C consumer hardware play tackling the same food-waste problem from the disposal end rather than the freshness-tracking end.
Others
- Chef'n: Mainstream kitchen gadget brand sold through retail and D2C at similar price points to LightTag accessories. Comparable as a kitchen-gadget peer with similar retail positioning and impulse-purchase use cases.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Ovie social profiles
Digital presenceOvie financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ovie leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Ovie funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ovie 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 Ovie
What does Ovie do?
Ovie designs, manufactures, and sells LightTag, a smart food freshness tracking device that uses color-coded LED light rings (teal, yellow, red) to visually signal when food is approaching expiration. Each LightTag is attached to a food container via a reusable sticky connector, and the user sets a countdown timer by pressing the device once per day of tracking (up to 30 days). The hardware is sold directly to consumers through the company's e-commerce website in kit sizes and is bundled with replacement accessories and OneTouch food storage containers.
Is Ovie a public or private company?
Ovie is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Ovie founded?
Ovie was founded in 2017. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Ovie based?
Ovie is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Ovie make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. LightTag Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are accessories & Consumables and bulk & Wholesale.
Who are Ovie's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Simplehuman, Drop (Kitchen Stories / Drop Scale), Anova Culinary, ThermoWorks and Smarter (smarter.am). Broad incumbents are Joseph Joseph, OXO (OXO International) and Tupperware Brands. Lomi (by Pela) is listed as an emerging player. Chef'n is listed as an others.
Does Ovie have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ovie.
What industry is Ovie in?
Ovie's product category is Smart Kitchen Devices. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRACAQAI, Hydration, Nutrition & Metabolic Tracking Devices (Smart Bottles, Breath/Metabolic Analyzers). Its NAICS code is 33521 and its SIC code is 3634.