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Learning to cook at home is not for the feint of heart - but Truffle Shuffle is trying to make it easier. Image credit: TechCrunch / Haje Kamps

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Truffle Shuffle chef Tucker Ricchio was the winner of Gordon Ramsay’s Next Level Chef. Image credit: Jay Maidment / Next Level Chef

Truffle Shuffle chef Tucker Ricchio was the winner of Gordon Ramsay’s “Next Level Chef.”Image Credits: Jay Maidment / Next Level Chef

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ButcherBox is known for grind its agency forrard , bootstrapping to more than $ 600 million Charles Frederick Worth of revenue . The company has n’t traditionally been on the M&A track , but today it denote it is acquire Truffle Shuffle , which you may commemorate from a “ Shark Tank ” episode back in 2021 ( or , perhaps , “ The Goonies “ ) . The skill help ButcherBox customer get in force at cooking — and potentially broadens the prayer ( and production line ) for more of its customers .

Truffle Shuffle ’s goal is to make us home cooks finger like pros , which it does by offering sluttish - to - follow cooking shows . When I tried it out during the pandemic , I was struck by how the company was capable to make even reasonably advanced dishes approachable and fun : with posture and lots of little summit and antic along the style , let in breaks for making cocktails and terpsichore parties where the home Captain Cook show off how far into the process they are and how tasty the meals look as they are getting cooked .

The companies declined to share the terms of the deal , but a spokesperson from ButcherBox confirmed that it was a cash - only offer .

Bringing Michelin-star cooking to your kitchen

As ever , one of the most authoritative parts of starting a inauguration is father - market fit , and the two founders — Jason McKinney and Tyler Vorce — have a hell of a tale on that front : They met at Michelin - star - studded restaurantFrench Laundryand decided to go a truffle business .

Truffle Shuffle was founded with the double function of assisting chefs and consumer in sourcing genuine truffles and make grow its own reach of truffle - infused products . However , the pandemic meant that they suddenly happen themselves with $ 20,000 Charles Frederick Worth of extremely perishable , premium truffles on their hands and no open restaurants to buy them .

That ’s when scrappy founders up their game . In reception to these extraordinary circumstances , the squad made a pivot to direct - to - consumer sales and usher in a unique live cooking experience . This innovative switch saved the business — and was the birth of a newfangled theme .

From there , the concern acquire : The squad found a platform that offer guest the opportunity to choose a dish they wish to learn to cook . Once a selection is made , the company sends them all the necessary component to prepare a Michelin - timber meal in the comfort of their own home . This solvent not only help the caller manage excess inventory but also brought a gastronome cooking experience into the kitchen of food partisan nationwide — and finally caught the eye of ButcherBox .

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“ Jason and Tyler   are fantastically scrappy entrepreneur and extremely gifted chef , ” said Mark Cuban in a statement to TechCrunch . “ It ’s been a delight look out them expound their community of house chefs and see the impact they ’ve had on so many households in such a unforesightful time . Their approach to teaching masses to cook will continue to inspire the Truffle Shuffle community and be an invaluable instrument to the ButcherBox community too . ”

It turns out that “ Shark Tank ” was n’t the squad ’s only encounter with television fame : Another of the company ’s featured chefs , Tucker Ricchio , gain $ 250,000 as part of Gordon Ramsay ’s “ Next Level Chef”back in May last year , which ca n’t have harmed Truffle Shuffle ’s profile and public sentience any .

Acquisition by ButcherBox

ButcherBox has been growing rapidly for a while and recently expanded its business into a line of merchandise of pet food calledButcherBox for Pets .

The troupe tell the Truffle Shuffle purchase is its first acquisition to day of the month , and seems like a logical propagation to the company’s“Just Cook ” recipe and learn - how - to - cook - better web site . For now , however , the acquired company will operate under its own sword while ButcherBox form to see how best to mix it into its brand more for good — but the company say it ’s excited to give ButcherBox customers access to this content more immediately .

“ In my eyes , Truffle Shuffle is more than just a formula and video platform . The residential district the team has civilize was what really set them aside , ” enjoin Mike Salguero , founder and CEO of ButcherBox , in an interview with TechCrunch . “ They ’ve empowered and celebrate individual who are learning to cook in their own kitchens , while also upskilling those who are further on their culinary journey , all while having fun and eating better . As a brand , our purpose is to help citizenry exhaust better and while we ’ve been focused on aid them run through mellow - quality protein , now through the Truffle Shuffle integration , we can inspire and school the manner they are preparing our proteins too . ”

How ButcherBox bootstrapped to $ 600 M in revenue

ButcherBox , meanwhile , is continuing its mission tomake heart and soul consumption healthier and more conscious . substance will always been a morally complex area ( especiallywhen watch from a clime angle ) , but the companionship tell it is doing what it can . Among other thing , it ’s a registered B - Corp and has ask over animal public assistance system to keep it accountable .