Luvo

About Luvo

Performance Kitchen, formerly known as Luvo Inc., operates at the intersection of food and healthcare, providing medically tailored frozen meals. The company was founded in 2013 as Luvo by Stephen Sidwell and gained significant momentum in 2014 when Christine Day, former CEO of Lululemon Athletica and a long-time Starbucks executive, joined as CEO and a major investor. Day's leadership, honed by scaling global consumer brands, was pivotal in shaping the company's early strategy. In February 2019, the company acquired Eat Local. A major rebranding occurred in early 2021 when Luvo became Performance Kitchen, shifting its focus more pointedly towards the "Food is Medicine" space under the leadership of John Yamin, who took over from Day. Mark Walker is the current Chairman and CEO.

The core of Performance Kitchen's business is developing, manufacturing, and distributing nutrient-dense, convenient meals designed to manage and prevent chronic diseases. Its business model has evolved from a direct-to-consumer and retail focus—with products once sold in chains like Kroger and served on Delta Air Lines flights—to a primary emphasis on the healthcare sector. The company now partners directly with healthcare insurers, including Medicare and Medicaid, enabling doctors to prescribe its meals for various conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and renal disease. These medically tailored meals are then often covered by insurance and delivered to the patient's home. This strategy leverages a B2B2C channel, using healthcare providers as a trusted intermediary to reach patients. While the payer space is the primary focus, direct-to-consumer sales continue through its e-commerce website, offering one-time purchases or subscriptions.

The product line is extensive, catering to a wide array of dietary and lifestyle needs, including Gluten-Free, Vegan, DASH, Renal, and Keto-friendly diets. Meals are created by chefs and approved by registered dietitians to ensure they are flavorful, low in sodium and added sugar, and made with high-quality, whole food ingredients. The offerings feature diverse, culturally-inspired flavor profiles, from Indian to Mexican, to appeal to a broad consumer base. This approach addresses a key market challenge: making medically necessary food appealing and accessible. In September 2023, Performance Kitchen announced a significant collaboration with Kroger Health to expand the availability of its meals, reinforcing its Food as Medicine initiative.