Nick Green, Co-Founder and CEO of Thrive Market, took almost a decade to deliver profits. Where does he grow from here?
By Diane Brady, Staff
T
en years ago, there were significant swaths of the country where eating organic food or following particular diets meant accepting an often expensive quest for food. Companies like Thrive Market helped to address that need by launching a Costco-style membership model in 2014 that allowed people to order non-GMO and organic food at discount rates online for delivery to their door.
Now, with 1.3 million members, many of whom pay about $60 a year to shop, Thrive Market just had its first full year of profitability. That’s impressive, given the growing competition in the space—not to mention Thrive Market’s lack of perishable products and the post-pandemic return to shopping in stores.
But co-founder and CEO Nick Green says his members are also attracted to his brand’s philosophy of reducing waste and supporting equitable access to healthy food through free memberships and community support.
“We’re trying to make healthy and sustainable living accessible to anybody,” says Green. “Consumers, well ahead of investor sentiment, said ‘we care about this stuff.’”
That level of care also keeps management on its toes and means Thrive Market has to take a holistic approach to all aspects of sourcing, packaging, and delivery. Click on the video above for the full interview.