33 Online Food Business Success Stories [2023]
Gone are the days when food lovers needed to leave their homes for delectable delights. Insert: online food business. This venture allows individuals or groups to offer ready-to-eat meals or pre-packaged ingredients for home preparation, straight to customers' doorsteps.
In simple terms, the business centers on creating and selling meals through an online platform. In a world perpetually pursuing convenience and variety, this idea caters to a diverse audience—busy professionals seeking nutritious meals, cooking novices craving guidance, or adventurous eaters exploring global cuisines.
As an owner of an online food business, you'll be involved in menu planning, sourcing ingredients, preparation, packaging, and delivering—while constantly innovating and adapting to the ever-changing food trends and dietary preferences. With the right blend of business acumen and culinary passion, the online food business can offer a unique opportunity to merge profit with satisfaction—giving people the gift of good food while filling a fundamental market gap.
Here are some real life success stories of starting a online food business:
1. Klondike Kettle Corn ($54K/year)
Katie Young came up with the idea for Klondike Kettle Corn after a friend suggested starting a kettle corn business in Carcross, Yukon. She bought the business from her friend and began selling Sweet and Salty kettle corn at the Fireweed Community Market. Over the years, she expanded her product line and now sells over 30 different flavors, including unique combinations with locally sourced ingredients. With the business's success, she has been able to give back to her community through sponsorships and donations.
How much they make: $54K/year
Current team size: 1
Klondike Kettle Corn, a gourmet popcorn company in the Yukon Territory, has grown its revenue by 67% and its Q1 revenue is up 39% from last year, by expanding its product line and collaborating with local businesses, while maintaining a strong social media presence.
2. Simple Green Smoothies ($360K/year)
Jen Hansard, the co-founder of Simple Green Smoothies, came up with the idea when she stumbled upon an article about boosting the immune system with green smoothies. After experiencing the health benefits firsthand, she started sharing recipes on Instagram and her blog, which eventually turned into a successful business generating as much as $30,000 a month in revenue.
How much they make: $360K/year
Current team size: 1
Simple Green Smoothies boasts a free 7-day smoothie challenge that has helped over 2 million people take control of their health and generates revenue with programs ranging from a 21-day cleanse to a plant-based meal planner, bringing in as much as $30k a month and also working to help women farmers in Cambodia build mushroom farms through World Hope International.
So... can you actually make money with a online food business?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
3. Just Panela LLC ($2.1M/year)
Scott Unkefer, the founder of Just Panela LLC, came up with the idea for his business when he moved to Medellin, Colombia and discovered Panela, an organic, unprocessed, and natural cane sugar. After experiencing its unique taste and health benefits, Unkefer decided to reposition Panela for the North American and international market. Despite facing challenges in packaging and manufacturing, Just Panela has achieved annual sales of $1.5 million and has gained recognition for its design and product quality.
How much they make: $2.1M/year
Current team size: 10
Founder and CEO of Just Panela LLC, Scott Unkefer, tells the story of his $1.5M unrefined, artisanal and organic cane sugar business, including how he repositioned the product, designed and manufactured the first product, and launched the business with multi-national operations.
4. Auric ($3.6M/year)
After a backbone fracture led him to explore yoga and Ayurveda, the founder of Auric had a lightbulb moment to make Ayurveda more convenient and aspirational for others. With a background in consumer brands from his time at Unilever, he launched Auric as a beauty and wellness brand based on Ayurveda, creating 100% natural and low-calorie beverages that offer visible benefits. With already selling 150k bottles monthly, the future looks bright for Auric as they aim to penetrate more consumers in India, the US, and the UK.
How much they make: $3.6M/year
How much did it cost to start: $500K
Current team size: 9
A beauty and wellness brand based on Ayurveda, Auric, is making 150,000 sales per month after launching in September 2018 and is currently 95% bootstrapped, with the company focusing on social media and D2C strategies and driving traffic to its website to understand its end consumer.
So... can you actually make money with a online food business?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
5. Rosa's Thai Cafe ($24M/year)
Alexander Moore and his wife, Saiphin, came up with the idea for Rosa's Thai Cafe after moving back to the UK and being disappointed by the Thai food options available. They started with a market stall and office catering company, serving authentic Thai food cooked in their small flat. The business grew rapidly, and they opened their first brick-and-mortar restaurant in 2008. With a focus on great food and word-of-mouth marketing, Rosa's now has 18 locations across the UK and brings in over $25 million in annual revenue.
How much they make: $24M/year
Current team size: 373
How a couple started from a humble weekend market stall in East London to building a Thai food restaurant empire with 18 sites across the UK, now with run rate revenues of over $25mil per year, by combining homely authentic Thai food with local ingredients in a casual cafe environment.
6. Kyra's Bake Shop, LLC ($768K/year)
After realizing the benefits of a gluten-free diet for her own health, Kyra decided to pursue her passion for baking and attended pastry school. She honed her skills and developed delicious gluten-free recipes, eventually starting her own bakery with a small investment of $62,000. Through strategic PR and saying yes to every opportunity, Kyra's Bake Shop gained a loyal following and continues to attract and retain customers, with an average monthly revenue of $120,000.
How much they make: $768K/year
How much did it cost to start: $62K
Current team size: 11
Gluten-free bakery, Kyra's Bake Shop, started with a home kitchen and has now grown to a 3,500 square foot flagship bakeshop/cafe and a second location, with a monthly average revenue of $120,000 from the flagship store, through prioritizing product quality and strategic thinking.
So... can you actually make money with a online food business?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
7. Dollop Gourmet ($360K/year)
Heather Saffer, Founder and CEO of Dollop Gourmet, came up with the idea for her better-for-you gourmet frostings after noticing a lack of natural frosting options in the market. After winning Food Network's Cupcake Wars and securing accounts with major retailers like Whole Foods and HEB, Saffer launched an online store just one day before her appearance on Shark Tank, resulting in thousands of orders flooding in.
How much they make: $360K/year
Current team size: 1
Dollop Gourmet, a better-for-you gourmet frosting and dessert dip company, went from a successful brick-and-mortar bakery to a packaged food product in Wegmans and other retail stores, doing $30,000 a month in sales with a new flavor and snack product on the horizon, while Founder and CEO Heather Saffer is developing a business coaching program for aspiring and present entrepreneurs.
8. Holmes Mouthwatering ($1.2M/year)
Ethan Holmes, at only 15 years old, was inspired by reading the book "Reallionaire" to create his own food product, with the goal of selling it on grocery store shelves. After a year of experimenting in his mom's kitchen, he perfected his all-natural applesauce recipe using golden delicious apples, pears, and apple cider. Today, Holmes Mouthwatering Applesauce is available in 200 store locations throughout the Midwest and produces up to 4,000 units a month.
How much they make: $1.2M/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
Current team size: 3
Ohio entrepreneur grows natural applesauce product from his mom's kitchen to 200 Midwest store locations, selling up to 4,000 units monthly and appearing in news outlets like Black Enterprise and Fox 8, while also giving speeches and presentations to schools, universities, and summer camps.
9. Lil Buff Protein ($960K/year)
Christine Moore, the founder of Lil Buff Protein, came up with the idea for her business when she was competing in bodybuilding and craving sweets while maintaining a healthy lifestyle. She created a protein cake mix that had the same nutrition facts as her diet meals, and after posting about it on social media, she received a lot of demand. With encouragement from friends, she decided to start Lil Buff Protein and within the first year, her husband quit his job and they were able to pay off all of their debt.
How much they make: $960K/year
Current team size: 10
Lil Buff Protein boasts a profitable growth story, having sold 300 mixes at a local bodybuilding expo, grossing $5000 in the first month of launching the business, and doubling sales each year; its founder, Christine Moore, makes it personal by connecting through social media, answering all DMs and delivering hand-signed thank-you cards with each order.
10. Ka-Pop! Snacks ($1.2M/year)
Dustin Finkel, the creator and CEO of Ka-Pop! and Awakened Foods, came up with the idea for his snack business after realizing the lack of genuinely authentic and delicious snacks in the market. As a certified personal trainer and nutritionist, Finkel wanted to create snacks that were both healthy and tasty, leading him to develop the Ka-Pop! line using 100% Ancient Grains and natural seasonings. Since its launch, the business has experienced impressive growth, with over 300% annual growth and projected annual sales of nearly $10 million by the end of 2021.
How much they make: $1.2M/year
Current team size: 50
Ka-Pop! is an Ancient Grain snack company that has grown over 300% per year, reaching nearly $10 million in annual sales by 2021, through innovation, passion, demos, social media, TV appearances, and driving relationships with retailer partners.
11. HalalWorldDepot ($2.4M/year)
Mohamad Saad, one of the founders of HalalWorldDepot, launched the business as a side hustle to list Halal products from his father's store online. With an initial investment of $5,000 for the website and shipping materials, the company quickly gained traction and now boasts a customer return rate of 50-60% and steady profitability. The future looks promising as HalalWorldDepot continues to expand and serve the growing community of Muslims in the United States.
How much they make: $2.4M/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
Current team size: 10
HalalWorldDepot is a Halal online marketplace that started three years ago as a meat and grocery delivery service and has now expanded to offer a wide variety of Halal products, with a customer return rate of 50-60%, profitability at 16-25%, and over 10,000 customers, with plans to expand to Canada and the United Kingdom within three to five years.
12. Your Driver Mike ($168K/year)
How much they make: $168K/year
Current team size:
13. @BrandiVBlazin ($48K/year)
How much they make: $48K/year
Current team size:
14. Food Apps Company ($144K/year)
How much they make: $144K/year
Current team size:
15. Healthy Chew ($720K/year)
TJ, the co-founder and CEO of Healthy Chew, joined the company as a dishwasher and helped his partner Peter scale the business. They rebranded from PNF Meals to Healthy Chew and experienced tremendous growth, selling over 10,000 bowls each month. With a focus on delicious, calorie-friendly meals, Healthy Chew has generated over $1.8 million in sales in just over 3 years.
How much they make: $720K/year
How much did it cost to start: $500
Current team size: 7
Healthy Chew is a profitable weekly meal preparation service that grew from 200 to 10,000 weekly bowls in just over 3 years, with an overall sales figure of $1.8 million, achieved through effective branding and personalised customer service.
16. CandyCan ($180K/year)
Krik, the co-founder and CEO of Protes Protein Snacks, came up with the idea for his business when he was in college and realized there was a lack of satisfying protein snacks like chips on the market. After leaving his corporate finance job and spending months perfecting the recipe, Protes Protein Snacks became the world's first protein chip and now has its products in over 10,000 retail stores nationwide.
How much they make: $180K/year
How much did it cost to start: $100K
Current team size: 2
An entrepreneur started a protein snacks company which launched six years ago and now has its products in over 10,000 retailers nationwide, through getting rid of their early mistakes, and looking to e-commerce for future growth.
17. EatTiamo ($120K/year)
Nicholas Figoli and his business partner Francesco Pelosi came up with the idea for EatTiamo while they were living abroad in Paris and missing the taste of authentic Italian cuisine. They noticed the lack of affordable and easily accessible Italian products in the market, especially in the US where the demand for Italian food is high. This led them to launch EatTiamo, the first subscription food box service that brings the best of Italian food directly to American families.
How much they make: $120K/year
Current team size: 5
Italian food subscription box service, EatTiamo, delivers monthly boxes of carefully selected Italian delicacies to 300 American families across the US, with the aim of reaching a break-even point of 1,000 boxes per month by 2020.
18. Peaceful Fruits ($180K/year)
After serving in the U.S. Peace Corps and realizing he wanted to start a sustainable business, Evan Delahanty decided to launch Peaceful Fruits. He identified a lack in premium fruit snacks, focused on creating a product with a strong backstory, and started prototyping and manufacturing the snacks using a small dehydrator and commercial kitchens. Through digital sales and a successful Kickstarter campaign, Peaceful Fruits experienced steady growth, culminating in an appearance on Shark Tank.
How much they make: $180K/year
Current team size: 4
Peaceful Fruits, an award-winning for-profit social enterprise, sells organic, clean label, natural fruit snacks and has gone from $8,000 in sales in 2015 to $150,000 in 2017, employing 30 people with disabilities in their production facility and is an excellent example of a successful, mission-based business.
19. Love Good Fats ($36M/year)
Suzie Yorke, a CPG marketing executive and fitness enthusiast, came up with the idea for Love Good Fats after shifting to a high-fat, low-carb, low-sugar diet and struggling to find convenient snacks that fit her new lifestyle. Recognizing a gap in the market, she developed a line of delicious, healthy, and keto-friendly bars. Since its launch, Love Good Fats has achieved rapid growth, generating over $120 million in cumulative sales and expanding to over 10,000 stores in North America.
How much they make: $36M/year
How much did it cost to start: $400
Current team size: 20
Love Good Fats, a Canadian-based family of food products, has already exceeded $120 million in cumulative sales and is one of the fastest-growing bar brands in North America, thanks to founder Suzie Yorke's mission to bring back good fats and say goodbye to sugar.
20. Bluebird Provisions ($635K/year)
After being told he would never run again due to a foot injury, the founder of Bluebird Provisions Bone Broth healed his foot and got back to winning ultra marathons using bone broth. Fueled by his conviction to share this healing elixir, he quit his job and started Bluebird Provisions. Now, the brand is the fastest-growing bone broth brand in North America, with monthly revenues of $49,000 and a 5000% increase in customer base since its inception.
How much they make: $635K/year
How much did it cost to start: $30K
Current team size: 1
Bluebird Provisions Bone Broth is North America's fastest-growing bone broth brand, doing 49,000 per month and growing 50% YoY, with 5000% growth in customer base since starting, thanks to an SEO-focused strategy, email marketing, referrals, and Amazon.
21. Huy Fong Foods ($150M/year)
How much they make: $150M/year
Current team size: 38
Huy Fong Foods' Sriracha sauce, also known as rooster sauce, generates $150 million in revenue annually, accounting for 10% of the US market for hot sauce, despite founder David Tran starting out selling his sauces out of a blue Chevy van.
22. XO Marshmallow ($1.3M/year)
Lindzi Shanks, co-founder of XO Marshmallow, started the business after her partner Kat Connor created homemade marshmallows as a gift and received overwhelming feedback. Realizing the potential, they decided to launch an online shop and later opened the world's first marshmallow café. They relied on customer feedback and suggestions to develop new flavors and products, using their culinary and branding expertise to create a successful lifestyle brand.
How much they make: $1.3M/year
How much did it cost to start: $200
Current team size: 7
XO Marshmallow, the premier gourmet marshmallow company and home of the first marshmallow café, discusses how they became the leader in their market by creating a compelling lifestyle brand primarily through social media and organic traffic, leading them to do $1.5 million in sales last year with continued YoY growth ranging from 25-300%.
23. LEAN BENTO ($1.01M/year)
How much they make: $1.01M/year
Current team size:
Lean Bento co-founders use engineering research to develop customizable menu combos for their 13-item healthy meal restaurant, which expanded to a delivery service for the entire island after only one year of operation.
24. Pip & Nut ($12M/year)
How much they make: $12M/year
How much did it cost to start: $12K
Current team size: 30
Pip & Nut, a nut butter brand founded in 2013, is now present in 6,000 stores throughout the UK and Europe and has a team of 20+ people, all while dedicated to supporting local communities and reducing carbon print.
25. Serenity Kids ($9M/year)
How much they make: $9M/year
Current team size: 33
Serenity Kids, a baby food company offering a balanced ratio of protein, fat, and carbohydrates, raised $3M in funding and saw sales increase by threefold to $9M in 2020, becoming a potential billion-dollar company with a focus on healthier options.
26. Chandler Honey ($120K/year)
Tique Chandler, the founder of Chandler Honey, came up with the idea for her infused honey brand by leveraging her knowledge of beekeeping and her desire to make honey more exciting. She created interesting flavors and used bright branding to differentiate her product. In under two years, Chandler Honey is now in 150+ stores in Canada and continues to grow.
How much they make: $120K/year
How much did it cost to start: $50K
Current team size: 1
Chandler Honey is a Canadian organic honey brand with unique flavors, founded by Tique Chandler. With only 2 years since incorporation, the brand is now in 150+ stores in Canada and brings in $10k revenue monthly.
27. Jaju Pierogi ($960K/year)
Jaju Pierogi, founded by sisters Casey and Vanessa White, started as a side project selling pierogi at farmers' markets and pop-up events. With a background in the corporate world and a love for their Polish heritage, they saw a gap in the market for high-quality, handmade pierogi. Fast forward to August 2022, Jaju Pierogi is now in multiple grocery chains and over 650 specialty independent stores, with a monthly revenue of $80,000-$100,000.
How much they make: $960K/year
How much did it cost to start: $3.5K
Current team size: 5
Jaju Pierogi started off as a side hustle at farmers' markets and festivals back in 2016, and as of August 2022, they are in multiple grocery chains and over 650 specialty independent stores with a monthly revenue hovering between $80,000-$100,000.
28. Urban Smokehouse ($60K/year)
Andrew Buehler, founder of Urban Smokehouse, came up with the idea for his business after noticing the growing market trend and opportunity for online delivery of perishable items during the COVID-19 lockdown. As a foodie with a background in financial services, Buehler saw the rising demand for BBQ, a food that tastes great but is often inconvenient to make, and decided to create a digitally native BBQ brand that offers pre-cooked and sauced ribs that can be easily prepared at home in under 20 minutes. He launched Urban Smokehouse as a Kickstarter project and quickly surpassed his goal, raising over $30,000 in pre-orders.
How much they make: $60K/year
How much did it cost to start: $15K
Current team size: 1
Andrew Buehler launched Urban Smokehouse, the world’s first digitally native BBQ brand, through a Summer Kickstarter campaign, raising over $30,000 in pre-orders; since then, the company has achieved monthly sales of over $5,000 split between their website and in-person pop-ups and events, relying heavily on word of mouth and organic social media.
29. Dohful Cookies ($180K/year)
Arushi, the founder of Dohful Cookies, was inspired to start her business after experiencing soft-baked cookies for the first time on her honeymoon in Europe. Realizing that such delicious cookies were not available in India, Arushi and her husband decided to introduce India to the world of soft-baked cookies. Through partnerships with influencers and a strong online presence, Dohful has gained a loyal customer base and is now expanding to launch on Amazon and open a physical store.
How much they make: $180K/year
How much did it cost to start: $10K
Current team size: 10
This case study article highlights the success story of Dohful Cookies, India's first soft-baked cookie company, founded by Arushi and Chaman in 2018. They targeted young people aged 18-30 who are well-traveled, aware of global food trends, and eager to try high-quality global food products in India. The cookies are 100% eggless, made with pantry ingredients, and without any preservatives or additives. With a focus on SEO, influencer partnerships, and community-building through social media, they have attracted and retained customers. They are now expanding their sales channels to Amazon and opening a brick-and-mortar store in New Delhi.
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