Ready to eat meal specialist Factor taps automated and green technology at new US production facility

Factor, an American ready to eat meal delivery service, has announced the opening of a new production centre in Goodyear.

It says that the 300,100 square foot facility will serve as one of the largest industrial kitchens in the US.

Factor was born in 2013 out of Chicago, IL. Since its acquisition in 2020 by the HelloFresh Group, it has been leveraging HelloFresh’s direct-to-consumer capabilities and technology infrastructure.

Additionally, it has increased its menu offering by 75%, enabling consumers to choose among a wider selection of meals, including more keto, calorie smart, protein plus, vegetarian, and vegan dishes.

“Ready to eat meals continue to be one of the fastest growing segments in the US, and I’m proud that Factor has become the market leader in this space, providing customers across the US with convenient, high quality meals,” says Uwe Voss, CEO, HelloFresh North America.

“The addition of the Goodyear facility will allow us to increase capacity, serve more customers, and drive further significant growth to our business, all while offering a first class service. We’re grateful for the partnership with the city of Goodyear and look forward to continuing to support the local community.”

Factor has recently expanded outside of the US as well to markets where there is a high adoption rate of direct to consumer ready to eat services. This means that it is now available in Canada (having launched early 2023), Belgium, and the Netherlands, where it launched last month.

With the opening of the new facility in Goodyear, AZ, Factor will employ more than 800 team members who will, amongst other things, cook, prepare and fulfil customer orders.

Automated technology will also be incorporated in the facility to fulfil the increasing complexity of options offered to customers, and to streamline and accelerate production. The site also features sustainable operations, such as CO2 refrigeration to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.