Pocketfood; the kitchen-as-a-service automating healthy eating for working Africans

Getting access to wholesome, time-efficient meals might be difficult in today’s fast-paced corporate world, particularly in a place like Nigeria where everyone is attempting to be at work on time amidst the stressful and seemingly never-ending traffic.

So, the convenience of enjoying a freshly prepared meal without stepping outside the office is a game-changer for professionals who often find themselves caught up in back-to-back meetings

This is where Pocketfood enters the picture, transforming the way organizations accommodate the dietary requirements of their employees with its cutting-edge kitchen-as-a-service platform.

About Pocketfood

The idea behind Pocketfood was born from the founders’ personal encounters while navigating the daily grind of their 8-5 work lives. It was a particular experience that triggered a euphoric moment, leading to the inception of this solution.

The product started out over a year ago from the founder having difficulties accessing meals around her workplace as a professional. When discussing with me, I also had the same issues, Oluwabunmi Balogun, the company’s COO said.

It was the same meal over and over on these platforms. No variety. People who worked in my own office could not even use these platforms cause they had health needs and needed their type of meals to be prepared in a certain way.

Oluwabunmi Balogun, the COO, Pocketfood

With its selling point being “inexpensive daily meal delivery with quick reordering,” the days of wrestling with logistical and operational complexities are long gone. Pocketfood eliminates the inconvenience by presenting itself as a platform that creates healthy meals catering to the appetites of both employees and executives.

On the Pocketfood app, features abound. It also offers a diverse menu of delicious meals, all customized according to your dietary needs i.e. individualized meal plans, delivered right to your workplace at lunchtime.

Furthermore, with the financial burden of meal logistics lifted from the company’s shoulders, it’s a win-win situation for both the business and its employees. The user-friendly interface allows staff to handpick their meals for the week, ensuring that every lunchtime is a delightful and satisfying experience.

Read Also: Do you have ₦10K to spare? Here are 5 Nigerian investment apps you may not know

Pocketfood’s Unique Offerings

Whether you’re in the office or working from home, we are removing the hassle of cooking or searching for what to eat by providing delicious fresh meals delivered to your doorstep right at lunchtime every day!- The company says.

Pocketfood stands out with its exceptional array of meal options, ensuring there’s a flavour-packed delight for everyone in its digital cafeteria. Whether you’re a local cuisine enthusiast, a global palate explorer, a dedicated vegetarian, or a wellness champion, Pocketfood embraces all cravings and preferences.

A Menu Plan for Every Taste Bud: Users can order different menu plans depending on their taste. From savoring the rich flavors of local delicacies to continental classics to a vegetarian menu to fueling the FitFam spirit, Pocketfoods offers a diverse meal menu plan; for literally everyone and anyone.

Your Week, Your Way: The active plan is designed to cover the hustle and bustle of 5 business days. The price range starts from ₦10,000 to ₦15,000 per week and can go up to ₦20,000 or more. The basic plan starts from ₦8,000 per week which is surprisingly affordable primarily because of its unique meal variations and options.

Craft Your Meal Palette: The menu plan is filled with a variety of main dishes, extras, side dishes, soups, protein-rich options, and thirst-quenching drinks. This allows users to handpick these options to create the perfect meal plan that resonates with their unique tastes and dietary preferences.

Order in bulk: Once you’ve meticulously crafted your ideal weekly meal plan, the convenience doesn’t end there – you have the freedom to order multiple portions of these meticulously curated menu plans, ensuring your culinary journey extends to every group of employees who share similar meal preferences.

Delivery of meal plans

According to a statement, Pocketfood operates only in Lagos for now. However, it is looking to expand to Abuja and Port Harcourt soon. The meals are delivered to your doors by a third-party delivery service but you must pay a small token once per week for delivery. However, you can customize your delivery time to suit your choice and convenience.

With the ability to curate precise time intervals between meals, users are empowered to decide not only what they eat but also when and where their culinary creations are delivered. Also, users can tweak and reschedule the delivery plan for their meals but it comes with an extra fee.

Our plan is flexible. So long as your location is still within the vicinity you previously picked. Vicinity is the island or the mainland. So if you have been getting your meals in the office around the island. You can also change location to anywhere on the island for free.

In a world where health matters, this digital cafeteria could hold the key to a healthier lifestyle for many Nigerians. For businesses, it’s a recipe for a better workplace too – fostering a team of healthy, energetic employees ready to take on the day with gusto.

So, whether you’re at home or in the office, PocketFood doesn’t just deliver meals; it delivers a fresh perspective on nourishing both body and work culture.

Pocketfood and operating in the ‘competitive’ food-delivery sector

There are many platforms that allow users to order and get food delivered via online means. Speaking on the comparison between their service and that of existing food delivery services, Oluwabunmi Balogun, COO of Pocketfood said,

Why do you believe these platforms are convenient? They are rigid and not suitable for people with dietary needs. You can barely find a FitFam or keto meal on any of these platforms. Also, you end up with the same type of meal options every time

The convenience of platforms like Jumia Food and Glovo, which allow for on-demand food delivery from favourite restaurants, is enticing. However, these platforms fall short of catering to specific dietary needs.

They lack options for those pursuing fitness or dietary plans like keto, offering a repetitive selection of meal choices that often prioritize taste over health. This raises concerns about the impact on long-term well-being.

For Pocketfood, they claim that the true goal isn’t just food acquisition; it’s promoting healthy eating habits. Shockingly, in 2019, 19% of deaths in Nigeria were attributed to cardiovascular ailments linked to unhealthy eating practices.

For those focused on their health and dietary requirements, alternative meal planning and preparation methods might be more suitable, i.e. Pocketfood, allowing for greater control and customization to ensure a balanced and nourishing diet throughout the week.

Plans for expansion

Pocketfood currently operates in Lagos alone at the moment but the company is planning to expand its services to Abuja, Port Harcourt and other cities outside Nigeria sooner than later. Also, steps are underway to ensure that the company can be in charge of the deliveries instead of letting third-party agencies handle them.

We plan to move to 2 cities in Nigeria before considering relocation out of Africa. At the moment, we already have over 180 requests from Liberia thanks to our recent acquisition with the balancedbowl, but we want to conquer the Nigerian market first before moving out.