Cigna Healthcare taps HelloFresh to offer to expand access to healthy meal choices

Health benefits providers Cigna Healthcare and meal kit company HelloFresh have teamed up to offer discounted access to HelloFresh's wholesome, affordable meals to as many as 12 million Cigna Healthcare customers through their employers.

The two companies will also team up to support HelloFresh's Meals with Meaning program, a social impact initiative that provides free meal kits for individuals experiencing food insecurity in local communities.

Why does it matter?

Cigna Healthcare employer clients can choose from a variety of HelloFresh offerings with no minimum purchase amount. Employees can then choose among the options provided, which may include e-gift cards for employees, discounted meal kit subscriptions, and one-time box deliveries to employees' doorsteps with no subscription required.

Each HelloFresh delivery includes all of the fresh, pre-portioned ingredients and step-by-step instructions to make delicious meals that support a healthy lifestyle.

Previously, Cigna Healthcare and its health equity team collaborated with select employer clients located in underserved communities to deliver nearly 3,500 HelloFresh meals to their employees around the holidays. Dedicated efforts were managed by Cigna Healthcare's well-being coordinators, some of whom are registered dietitians.

On the record

"Business leaders recognize that healthy employees mean a healthy business, and by expanding access to affordable, healthy meals, employers can better cultivate a stronger workforce," said Heather Dlugolenski, U.S. commercial strategy officer, Cigna Healthcare. "We're proud to team up with HelloFresh to support the health and vitality of America's workforce and to make a difference for communities in need."

"We're excited to team up with Cigna Healthcare to make fresh and wholesome HelloFresh meal kits available as a healthcare benefit," added Adam Kalikow, senior vice president & managing director, Meal Kits at HelloFresh U.S. "This partnership emphasizes the important role that home cooking plays in supporting consumers' overall health and well-being. Together with Cigna Healthcare, we're making HelloFresh meal kits even more accessible while working together to combat food insecurity in our local communities."

The context

One in three U.S. workers reported experiencing food insecurity within the past three months, according to The Cigna Group's 2023 Vitality in America research, and six in 10 Americans have at least one chronic disease, many exacerbated by unhealthy diets. These diet-related chronic diseases account for nearly 20% of all U.S. healthcare costs annually.

Meanwhile, the Meal Delivery market in GCC is expected to reach a revenue of $12.80 billion by 2024 and eventually reach $15.06 billion by 2028, according to Statista. Some of these meal kit companies could undoubtedly benefit from a partnership with a benefits/insurance provider — delivering healthy meals to more people in the region. Sounds like a plan...