Vegetable + Butcher is moving to a huge new HQ in Maryland

With the help of Maryland and Prince George’s County agencies, DC food delivery service Vegetable and Butcher (V+B) is heading out of the district and into a massive new facility.

The company, which currently operates out of multiple locations in DC, is relocating to a 32,000-square-foot industrial space at 6001 Fallard Drive in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. With the move, the 56-person company plans to add 184 jobs over the next three years — including building out a tech team, according to cofounder Turner Hoff.

Hoff said the company searched for a larger space for quite some time and picked Upper Marlboro based on what would be best for its employees spread out in DC, Maryland and Virginia. At the same time, it found partners in the Maryland government that helped with the cost of the build.

“We feel very aligned from a mission perspective, they’re obviously trying to bring healthy food and job growth to the state and counties,” Hoff told Technical.ly. “So it felt, in a lot of ways, that the stars were aligning to make this project happen.”

Construction on the new HQ is set for completion in September, and V+B plans to be moved in by Q4.

The new space is a far cry from the 400-square-foot apartment that served as the first V+B HQ, as the founders tell it. The company, which was created in 2016, built a ready-to-eat meal delivery service with gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan options. Currently, the startup delivers to 150 zip codes in the Mid-Atlantic and has furnished over one million meals. Hoff said that the company has continued growing since its founding, and the team outgrew each new space about every 12 to 18 months.

In addition to the new space, V+B has a number of growth plans going forward. In the next year, it aims to further develop its tech stack and launch a mobile app that makes it easier for customers to plan meals. It’s also working on a system to track the carbon footprint of each meal, which it intends to launch in the first half of 2024 and roll into the app. Plus, Hoff said that V+B is planning a raise for 2024 and aspires to start delivering to Baltimore and Annapolis once the company is up and running in the new space.

Still, moving into the company’s first official, all-under-one-roof HQ is something he’s particularly proud of.

“It’s certainly the most significant milestone we will have achieved as a company,” Hoff said.

To help with the expansion, V+B received a $480,000 Advantage Maryland grant from the state’s Department of Commerce. Prince George’s County also provided a $480,000 loan via its Economic Development Incentive Fund. According to the governor’s office, the company is also eligible for incentives and tax credits such as the Jobs for Marylanders program and the Job Creation Tax credit.

“We are ecstatic to welcome Vegetable and Butcher to the Prince George’s County business community,” said Gov. Wes Moore in a statement. “The company has a strong commitment to working with farmers and growers while providing nourishing meals to families throughout the region. Its mission is admirable and we are proud to have the company select Maryland for its new headquarters location.”