Public reports say Tovala laid off about 30 employees, roughly 13% of staff, in a move to focus on profitability.
SourcePublic company, workplace, funding, and market signals
Updated Jul 29, 2026
Tovala is a Chicago-based food-tech company that pairs a proprietary smart oven with a weekly chef-crafted meal subscription, enabling scan-to-cook meals with about one minute of prep and 20-minute cooking [Tovala homepage; Y Combinator].
Primary product
Tovala Smart Oven paired with chef-crafted meal delivery
Founded
2015
Headquarters
Chicago, Illinois, United States (West Loop; public address 1021 W Adams St, Chicago, IL 60607)
Team size
100-150
Work style
Flexible
Industry
Food & Beverages
Sub-industry
Food-tech / meal delivery / connected kitchen
Offices
10 jobs at Tovala
Business model
Stage
Late-stage venture / Series C
Total raised
$71.6M
Latest round
Series C - II · May 2022
May 2022 · Forecast Labs / Samsung NEXT
Feb 2021 · Left Lane Capital
Jun 2020 · Finistere Ventures
Corporate / strategic investment
Feb 2018 · Tyson Ventures
Dec 2017 · Origin Ventures
Leadership
Founder & CEO
Co-founder & CTO
Chief Financial Officer
Chief People Officer
Chief Technology Officer
Chief Marketing Officer
Director of Software Engineering
Director of Software Engineering
Senior Director of Hardware
Investors
Remote-first/flexible with a Chicago HQ option; public employee feedback and employer profiles describe a high-accountability, collaborative, customer-centric culture that emphasizes direct communication, ownership, and profitability discipline.
Work style
Flexible
Compensation
Public employer profiles say Tovala uses market data and geography to set pay, offers equity to all employees, and tends to emphasize benefits and ownership more than top-of-market base salary; some public reviews note variability by role and site.
Benefits
Pricing
Subscription meal plans with per-serving pricing; meals start around $8.99 per serving, with oven promos tied to meal commitments.
Differentiators
Technology
Customers
Competitors
Estimated revenue
9-figure annual revenue (> $100M)
Public reports say Tovala laid off about 30 employees, roughly 13% of staff, in a move to focus on profitability.
SourceTovala acquired Radish, a Chicago-based meal-delivery service.
SourceThe company’s planned Series B collapsed days before close, leaving it with roughly three weeks of cash until it raised bridge money.
SourcePR Newswire · May 2026
Tovala named Scott Braun CMO as it expanded brand, acquisition, and retention efforts and said it was nearing 50 million meals delivered.
PR Newswire · Apr 2026
Tovala launched Family Meals, extending its scan-to-cook system to four-serving meals that cook in the smart oven in about 25 minutes.
Inc. · Mar 2026
Founder David Rabie described how Tovala survived a near-breakdown in 2020, later became profitable, and now generates nine-figure revenue.
Fast Company · Nov 2025
Rabie detailed Tovala's path from a 2022 fundraise and $110M+ of revenue to a profitability-focused operating model with discipline on hiring, pricing, and spend.