Several organizations have recently put back-to-office plans in place, meaning many employees are visiting these shared spaces on a regular basis. This is good news for Fraîche, a business that works to outfit corporate offices with a sensible food solution for their teams. Following a period of growth, Fraîche is expanding with a newly opened office of its own.
The company opened an office in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood at the end of the summer. Though Fraîche is currently a team of nine, the space can seat up to 20 people. By early next year, the company wants to build out a headcount of 30 following the anticipated close of its Series A funding round. It’s looking to grow across all of its teams, including sales and account management.
Fraîche developed a smart fridge product that it installs in clients’ offices. In partnership with local restaurants and brands that offer sustainably sourced menu items, like Spring Cafe Aspen and Greyston Bakery, Fraîche restocks these fridges every day.
“There are many similar solutions to Fraîche in France and Europe in general. We’re lucky to have the best of both worlds: the passion for food in France and the dynamism of NYC,” Tximista Lizarazu, Fraîche CEO and co-founder, told Built In via email. “I wanted to create an alternative solution that was more efficient, convenient and sustainable than the food [and] lunch solutions that currently existed, [but] with better economics.”
While its product functions just like a normal refrigerator, Fraîche’s tech capabilities allow it to track which products people most frequently consume. The fridges function alongside the company’s corresponding mobile app. When a person wants something from a Fraîche fridge, they use the app to scan the QR code on the fridge and open the door. Afterward, they use the app to scan their selected food items, according to Charlotte Frey, Fraîche’s head of marketing. This way, Fraîche can use the recorded data to fill its clients’ fridges with things their specific teams will enjoy.
“Fraîche makes sense for offices with 30 employees and more that come into the office,” Lizarazu said. “Classic cafeterias cannot operate in those kinds of small offices and other food solutions are becoming less demanded for as they are extremely wasteful and unsustainable for the long run.”
Actively combatting food waste, Fraîche operates a zero-waste model. Any stocked food that goes unconsumed is donated to Replate where it’s then distributed around the city to help resolve food insecurity, Frey said. The company is also CO2 neutral, according to its site, and all of its food brands use compostable packaging.
“We want to have as much of an impact in the food space as possible,” Lizarazu said. “This means going big — starting with penetrating the NYC market and educating people on how to consume and eat in a healthier and more sustainable way.”
