A company created during the pandemic to help restaurants get through lockdown by creating DIY recipe kits has celebrated its first birthday.

Great Food 2U started in June 2020 and relocated to a distribution centre in Southfleet, near Dartford, later that year.

It has partnered with a host of big brands including the likes of Pizza Express, Fridays, Rosa's Thai and Franco Manca to deliver pre-prepared, refrigerated ingredients allowing customers to recreate their favourites at home.

Initially dispatching around 400 meal kits a week, it peaked during the Valentine Day weekend this year when it exceeded 7,000 deliveries - all coming from its 3,000sq ft site.

The firm's CEO, Nigel Draper, said: "This has been one of the most extraordinary years any of us have experienced. We originally had relationships with a lot of restaurants due to our sister business, and when the pandemic hit, we knew we would have to find a way to support them through such a difficult time. Then one evening last May over a Whatsapp group chat, Great Food 2U was born.

"I can’t say it’s been easy, some days it’s been far from that, but our customers have helped us and our restaurant partners more than they could ever know. So, I wanted to say thank you to our customers and to the team that have kept the cogs of Great Food 2U turning. As normality begins to slowly return, I think we can look forward to the next year with excitement and hope."

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