[Interview] Colruyt subsidiary Smartmat enters the battle for time with Foodprepper

With Foodprepper, Smartmat is introducing a new brand that responds to the growing demand for ultra-convenience in Belgian kitchens. Co-founder Tessa van Meerten and Smartmat CEO Jessie Maras explain how “the fastest meal box in the country” is set to take its place alongside Foodbag.

From kitchen routine to business plan

Foodprepper was not created in a lab or consultant’s office, but in Van Meerten’s kitchen. She and her partner started meal prepping on weekends: soup, salads, snacks and treats for the entire work week — first for themselves and, since the coronavirus pandemic, as a business.