GreatMeals.com Freezes Relaunch
GreatMeals.com has pushed its reopening back until November when it will be under new ownership.The prepared-meal Web site had shut down operations during early summer with the intention of reopening this month. Bethesda, MD-based GreatMeals has been quiet about its relaunch before announcing on its home page this week its intentions to be back in business before the crucial holiday season.
The announcement also states that the company has new ownership, though the firm didn't give details and its phone line has been disconnected since temporarily shutting down.
Since its debut almost two years ago, GreatMeals has targeted households within three days' delivery via ground service from a United Parcel Service hub near Richmond Cold Storage, Richmond, VA. The firm has prepared and packed meal orders in flash-frozen containers.
GreatMeals has offered 97 prepared main courses and side dishes. The main courses have been packaged to feed two and typically cost $12, while side dishes feed four and are priced at $8.
Two months before its delay in business, the company mailed 100,000 catalogs to households east of the Mississippi River in a $60,000 customer acquisition campaign. The campaign was also meant to brand the company against its chief competitor A La Zing, a Web-based firm -- www.Alazing.com -- run by Omaha Steaks.
