In a milestone moment for one of D.C.'s favorite meal delivery services, Vegetable + Butcher has opened a 32,000-square-foot production facility in Upper Marlboro, Maryland—more than quadrupling its previous footprint. The expansion highlights the increasing demand for their meals and the success of their model, which has been built on owning manufacturing and a strategy of growing one neighborhood at a time.
Vegetable + Butcher was founded by Ariane Valle and Turner Hoff with the goal of integrating healthy, tasty, and convenient meals into daily routines. Ariane Valle comes from a background in food and wellness while Turner Hoff leverages his business acumen to drive the business forward.
The pair joined Union Kitchen’s Accelerator in 2018, shortly after launching their subscription-based meal service. They began producing out of Union Kitchen’s commercial manufacturing facility, a critical step in proving product-market fit and operational feasibility. Starting small, they used the space to test their offering in hyper-local D.C. neighborhoods, focusing on product quality, customer feedback, and delivery logistics. As the brand gained traction, they expanded neighborhood by neighborhood—eventually scaling across the District and into Virginia and Maryland.
The phased approach allowed Vegetable + Butcher to build a durable foundation. By owning their production from day one, Valle and Hoff were able to control quality, iterate quickly, and manage costs—three pillars that would prove essential as they scaled.
After outgrowing the Union Kitchen facility, the team opened their first standalone production space: an 8,000-square-foot facility. Yet even that space soon reached capacity. In 2024, the company opened its new 32,000-square-foot facility in Upper Marlboro, supported by a $1 million investment from TEDCO. The new site is equipped to significantly expand output, streamline operations, and support continued growth throughout the Mid-Atlantic.
Vegetable + Butcher’s success exemplifies the impact of aligning a mission—focused on transparency, seasonality, and whole ingredients—with strategic execution and disciplined scaling. By maintaining control over their production and advancing systematically through each growth phase, Valle and Hoff have set their brand up not only for regional expansion but also for long-term success.
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