Wonder Buys Tastemade – Is Mark Lore Trying to Give Everyone Their Own Personal Chef?

Summary

Omni Talk Retail Podcast Summary

Episode Title: Wonder Buys Tastemade – Is Mark Lore Trying to Give Everyone Their Own Personal Chef?
Release Date: March 21, 2025
Hosts: Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga
Guests: Mark Laurie, CEO of Wonder

Introduction

In this episode of Omni Talk Retail, hosts Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga delve into Wonder's recent strategic acquisition of Tastemade. The discussion centers around whether this move signifies Mark Laurie's ambition to transform Wonder into a comprehensive mealtime super app, potentially offering personalized chef services to consumers.

Wonder’s Acquisition of Tastemade

The episode kicks off with Mark Laurie announcing Wonder’s acquisition of the media company Tastemade for approximately $90 million, as reported by the Wall Street Journal (00:00). Laurie highlights that this acquisition is a pivotal step in Wonder's vision to create a mealtime super app that integrates takeout delivery, meal kits, and now, media content and advertising. This strategic expansion aims to enhance consumer engagement and streamline the mealtime experience.

Evolution of Wonder's Business Model

Chris Walton provides a background on Wonder’s business transformations over the years. Initially known for its fleet of kitchens on wheels, Wonder pivoted in 2023 to a more sustainable model by centralizing meal preparation in large kitchens and expanding to 38 restaurant locations offering pickup, delivery, and dine-in services. Additionally, Wonder expanded its portfolio by acquiring meal kit provider Blue Apron in 2023 and food delivery service Grubhub in 2024 (00:30).

The Super App Concept

The conversation shifts to understanding the "super app" concept that Mark Laurie is pursuing. Chris expresses both skepticism and intrigue regarding the ambitious valuation of Wonder, which stood at $3.5 billion in 2022, surpassing notable acquisitions like Walmart’s purchase of Jet.com for $3.6 billion (01:41). Despite initial doubts, Chris begins to appreciate the potential of a super app that offers personalized culinary experiences.

Personalized Chef Idea

Mark Laurie introduces the intriguing idea of providing a personalized chef service through the super app. Chris elaborates on this concept, envisioning an app where users can select meals based on dietary preferences or moods, inspired by social media content. He envisions an AI-driven platform that curates meal options tailored to individual tastes, allowing users to order and receive their desired dishes directly at home with ease (02:27).

Feasibility and Challenges

Despite the excitement, Chris raises critical questions about the feasibility of such an extensive service. He points out the logistical complexities involved in sourcing and delivering diverse ingredients to cater to personalized chef demands. Chris muses, “How in the world does anyone ever make money with that idea? Like, the logistics of it seem just impossible to line up all the ingredients to be everyone's chef on demand” (02:26). The hosts acknowledge the significant challenges Wonder faces in executing this bold vision without exorbitant costs.

Potential Consumer Benefits

Mark Laurie counters the challenges by emphasizing the value proposition for consumers. He argues that Wonder’s integrated approach offers unparalleled choice and convenience, allowing users to either prepare meals themselves with provided ingredients or opt for ready-made dishes. This flexibility caters to varying consumer preferences, particularly among Gen Z, who value both convenience and the ability to customize their dining experiences (05:26). Chris concurs, highlighting the potential for competitive pricing and innovative delivery models fueled by advertising revenue and partnerships (05:43).

Future Prospects and Conclusion

As the discussion wraps up, both hosts express cautious optimism about Wonder’s strategic direction. Chris acknowledges the audacity of the super app approach but remains intrigued by its potential to revolutionize food consumption and ordering. Mark Laurie underscores the importance of embracing large-scale ideas and hints at future developments that could further integrate technology and culinary experiences. The episode concludes with both hosts agreeing to monitor Wonder’s progress closely, anticipating further innovations in the retail and foodtech sectors (07:42).

Notable Quotes

• Mark Laurie [00:00]: “Wonder’s acquisition of Tastemade is the latest step in our effort to create a mealtime super app.”
• Chris Walton [01:41]: “The valuation for Wonder is out of control... But I kind of more and more like what he's trying to do here.”
• Chris Walton [02:26]: “How in the world does anyone ever make money with that idea? Like, the logistics of it seem just impossible to line up all the ingredients to be everyone's chef on demand.”
• Mark Laurie [05:26]: “It's taking all of those trade-offs, all that you cannot do right now.”
• Mark Laurie [07:42]: “If Mark Laurie is going to do it, I need to learn a thing or two.”

Conclusion

This episode of Omni Talk Retail provides an in-depth analysis of Wonder’s strategic acquisition of Tastemade and the broader implications for the retail and food delivery industries. Through insightful dialogue, Chris Walton and Mark Laurie explore the potential and challenges of creating a mealtime super app aimed at democratizing personalized chef services. The discussion highlights the innovative strides Wonder is making while also addressing the practical hurdles that lie ahead.

Transcript

[Mark Laurie]

Wonder Mark Laurie's food delivery startup Chris, once known for its fleet of kitchens on wheels, said it has acquired the media company tastemade. According to the Wall Street Journal, the purchase price was around $90 million. Man, I want Mark Lori money. How do I get Mark Lori money? Chris, how do we do it? Because it sounds amazing. Timberwolves, you know, tastemades. Buy whatever you want. Okay, well, according according to people familiar with the transaction here, the deal is also the latest step in Wonder's effort to create a mealtime super app. Encompassing elements such as takeout delivery, meal kits, and now an international production company, content studio and advertising business, wonder in 2023 put the kibosh on its plan to build a nationwide fleet of kitchens and vans that cooked hot curbside meals. Shifting to a less complex, costly model, its flagship business now offers pickup delivery and dine in from multiple restaurant brands, prepping dishes in a large central kitchen and cooking them to order at 38 restaurant locations. It also acquired the meal kit brand Blue Apron in 2023 and the food delivery startup Grubhub in 2024. The acquisition means viewers who want to watch a famous chef make her signature pasta on a tastemade streaming channel, for example, may soon be able to easily order the dish to their door through Wonder grubhub or Blue Apron, tastemade co founder and CEO Larry Fitzgibbon said. Chris, does Wonders tastemane acquisition make you more or less inclined to buy into Wonder's super app for mealtime positioning?

[Chris]

Oh, man, the super app positioning. No, but I want to explain that, and I'm dying, too. But yeah, first of all, the valuation for Wonder is out of control. I mean, three and a half billion, I think they said no, 2022 is the last valuation. It's, if memory serves, and don't quote me on this, but I feel like Walmart acquired jet for 3.6 billion. If I'm not mistaken, it was something like around that. So, like, so this is. This is like nuts. It's out of control. But I gotta tell you, and like, I don't know, maybe I hit myself on the head last night as I was getting out of the shower or something, but I kind of more and more like what he's trying to do here. But instead of the super app for meal time, my handle would be like a personalized odd demand chef for anyone that wants one. That's really, I think, what hooks me here.

[Mark Laurie]

I love that.

[Chris]

Not for mealtime. I just don't get that. I'm like, what is that? But if you give me a personalized chef for everyone. If anyone in the world can have a personalized chef, that's cool. And. And Lori, like I mentioned earlier at the show, he's hitting on all the trends here. He's hitting on Food is medicine, the inspirational social commerce and conference conversational commerce angles as well. So you know, how. But my one question with this, though, is how. How in the world does anyone ever make money with that idea? Like, the logistics of it seem just impossible to line up all the ingredients to be everyone's chef on demand. But. But maybe there's like a middle ground here, an in between position that wonders trying to go for that. I just don't understand yet. And so, like. But just on the pure audacity side of venture capital, going after something big and bold for an idea that has a hook and could work, I think for that reason, I think it's a great idea, and I actually like it. And I don't know what's wrong with me. I don't know if I have a fever. I'm having a fever dream. I don't know. But I actually like something that Mark Laurie is doing now. I think people need to be cognizant of just how big they need to get behind this idea, which he's very good at doing. But fundamentally, as a concept, I. I like it in principle.

[Mark Laurie]

Okay. But I. So I won. I love your. Your I. Your concept of, like, democratizing personal chefs for all people. But, Chris, like, if you had a personal chef, what is the beauty of having that personal chef?

[Chris]

Like, the beauty of it is, like, all the ingredients that. And again, you're gonna. There's gonna be. Have to be a high willingness to pay for this too. But, But. But the beauty of it is that the beauty of it is, like, you know, if you have dietary restrictions or whatever you're in the mood for, you can go on the app, you can get in. You can actually just look through your social media feed. And, you know, with AI, it should, over time be able to understand all those things. So it can serve me up, like, 10 things I find inspiring for dinner. Boom. Click it. I want it. Here it comes to my house. That's. That's kind of cool.

[Mark Laurie]

Yeah. Well, what you're getting to. And the question that I was asking you is really, you have choice. Because right now, when you get home and you want something to eat, you either have the option of making it, ordering all the ingredients, or going to the store to get all the ingredients or doordashing something and you know, you're getting the best case scenario. And so what I actually really like about this is that when you look at all the pieces that Laurie's bringing together here, he's bringing in the more opportunity and choice for the consumer. I think it still plays on Gen Z, especially their willingness to like doordash anything. They'll doordash food instead of making it. But instead of worrying of paying the fees to have that meal prepared, you, you could also potentially be like, you know what? I, I'm in the mood for tacos tonight. And you can do Blue Apron to your house in, you know, no time at all. You. And maybe that's a little bit less than ordering prepared tacos from your local taco restaurant like there. I think it's giving people a little bit of an ability to lever up.

[Chris]

You could still cook it, you're saying, if you want to.

[Mark Laurie]

Exactly, exactly. So I think that's the smart thing here. Or you know, you're getting inspired by like you said, watching a cooking video and you want to do that thing. Do you want to make it yourself that night or do you want it to come prepared for you? Like I think it's taking all of.

[Chris]

Those trade offs, all that.

[Mark Laurie]

Yeah, exactly. That you cannot do right now. And that's where it's like if we're using the term super app, I think that's where the, the beauty of this is. Not that it's going to be like solving all of your problems and you only have one app that you're like, it's not Alibaba or something in China. It's really just how do you figure out how to give people the most cost benefit and convenience benefit here to get what they want in a shorter amount of time that Blue Apron couldn't do on their own. Grubhub can't do on their own. And now finally you have an advertising platform where all of these brands now can potentially come in to help maybe even subsidize some of those delivery fees like that. All of this money is being fueled into this organization to again continue to provide maybe more opportunities now for, for consumers to get this at a lower price. Like you, you watch the full video or the full ad like we do on YouTube and then you get $5 off at the end your delivery or you get free delivery. Like there's so many levers here that I think Mark Laurie is very smartly positioning for the next generation of food consumption and ordering. So that's, that's where I think the magic really really comes into play here.

[Chris]

Yeah. Yeah, right. Yeah. No, you're bringing up some good points. The devil's, of course, in the details of can you actually make this work at.

[Mark Laurie]

Oh, God. Right.

[Chris]

Like. Like assembling all those ingredients and getting them to be able to do this? It just seems, like, impossible to me without, you know, charging just a hell of a lot of money, but I don't know. Maybe. But I think the point you're bringing up, though, is really interesting, is like, you know, the one. It is a universal point of friction. Food, you know, and what we eat is constrained by what we have available and what we know how to do. And so this is eliminating that point of friction in people's lives, potentially, as a concept, because it gives you choice. And, you know, what does Bezos always say? Choice is one of the universal truths of the human psyche. And so I think you're hitting on it, and I think. Yeah, so we both like this. I'm surprised. I was kind of surprised that you're kind of in on this, too. So that's fascinating.

[Mark Laurie]

Well, at this point in time, like, if Mark Laurie is going to do it, I need to learn a thing or two. He needs to write a book so we can all learn how to. How to just, like, open our mouths and no words come out and people just start throwing money at us. This is. I need to figure out how to. How I can make a career out of that. So I'll follow.

[Chris]

Interesting.

[Mark Laurie]

Until this.

[Chris]

Yeah, until the. Until, you know, until we find out what happens. You know, we'll probably follow them on the next one, too. It's an interesting pivot, though, too. Like, you know, they start out with the food trucks, and we're always like, how's that going to scale? You can't scale that. You can't have food trucks everywhere. You know, that's just not economical because you need one everywhere you go. But, you know, if they can find a centralized kitchen, you know, and figure this out. I don't know. I. I. Greater men than you and I, Greater men and women and everyone else than you and I have. Have. Have probably more experience on. On the. The cloud kitchen aspect of this, and. But, God, it's audacious.