Tossed

Tossed, a London-based healthy-eating chain, was established in 2005 by Vincent McKevitt. McKevitt, a former management consultant with PricewaterhouseCoopers, identified a gap in the market for fresh, made-to-order healthy food after finding limited options while working in the City of London. His vision was to create a food retail brand that was not only healthy but also fun and engaging.

The company operates in the fast-casual dining sector, targeting health-conscious consumers with a menu of salads, wraps, hot food, and smoothies, all prepared on-site. Tossed positioned itself as a provider of fresh, custom-made meals, allowing customers to choose their own ingredients. Revenue is generated directly from the sale of food and beverages through its physical store locations and online ordering for delivery.

A significant milestone for the company occurred in 2016 when it raised £1.3 million through a crowdfunding campaign on Seedrs, which was used to fund expansion and technological enhancements. This funding supported the rollout of cashless stores featuring self-service kiosks, aiming to improve efficiency and customer experience. In 2017, Zest Food, a franchisee of the Welcome Break service stations, acquired a majority stake in Tossed, facilitating its expansion into UK motorway services and transport hubs. However, the business faced significant challenges, leading to a pre-pack administration deal in 2020 where the assets were sold to a new entity, officially dissolving the original company in May 2023.

Keywords: healthy eating, fast-casual dining, food retail, made-to-order salads, cashless kiosks, restaurant chain, corporate catering, fresh food, grab-and-go, London food scene