How Farmer’s Fridge Used Technology to Democratize Salads | Eater Chicago

"Founded in Chicago in 2013 by Luke Saunders, the company pioneered making salads, wraps, and bowls available via high-tech vending machines placed in everyday venues such as airports, hospitals, convention centers and university campuses. Its hyper-modern fridges—sloped metal boxes with windows—use software to log temperatures every five minutes and halt vending above 40°F, which reduces the need for preservatives and helps maintain food safety at scale. The business emphasizes sourcing from independent purveyors, has collaborated with well-known chefs on limited-run items (including a chile-braised pork bowl and a Hong Kong noodle bowl), and grew to operate more than 750 machines with placements in major retailers and airport concessionaires. The pandemic temporarily wiped out most revenue, prompting a rapid home-delivery pivot that restored revenue to near pre-pandemic levels by May 2020 and enabled 400,000 donated meals; the delivery program has since ended but the company continues partnering with Feeding America. The founder notes that some of the most valued locations are 24/7 sites—VA hospitals, first-responder dispatch centers and night-shift call centers—where access to healthier grab-and-go options is most needed." - Naomi Waxman