$30 Million Investment Brings Thrive Market Distribution Center To Batesville

By Travis Thayer Thrive Market Inc. co-founders (left to right): Gunnar Lovelace, Sasha Siddartha, Kate Mullen and Nick Green. Photo courtesy Thrive Market. (Batesville, Ind.) – After selling three small technology companies, a group of entrepreneurs are set to make healthy snacks and organic home products affordable for the entire country. California-based Thrive Market charges people a $60 annual membership fee, then delivers items typically sold at brick-and-mortar health food stores to consumers’ doors. In less than nine months, Thrive Market has picked up more than 100,000 paying members for its online shop and shipped 1 million products. Thrive Market, who just received a new $30 million venture investment is planning to open up a new distribution center in Batesville, which will make it possible for the company to deliver non-perishables within two days to U.S. customers, according to the Wall Street Journal. Thrive Market is expected to use the vacant GE Plant Building in Batesville Commerce Park for its new distribution center. According to Mayor Rick Fledderman, there could be up to 250 new jobs coming to the area when the building lease is officially signed. All U.S costumers would then be able to purchase items that cost 30 to 50 percent less than what they would at retail. Thrive Market seeks revenue from subscriptions, not markups, the company says. The start-up donates one membership to low-income individuals for every paid one, and it’s working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to be one of the first online stores to accept food stamps next year.