See How One Family Owned Meal Kit Company Supports Their Local Farmers
Spade & Spoon supports local food makers by providing stable markets, fair prices and efficient distribution methods
Marketplace staples from Spade & Spoon. | Photos courtesy of Spade & Spoon
Joy Rubey, founder and owner of the Front Range-based Spade & Spoon, laughs as she recalls her lack of cooking prowess as a young woman. “I couldn’t even cook a chicken before, but now, oh yeah, I definitely do know how to cook.”
Rubey’s passion for local food started when she was just 5 years old, selling peaches, lemons and avocados out of a wagon to her neighbors in Bellflower, Calif. She went on to become an architect, but in her 30s Rubey’s food interest returned as she began to question our food system and became concerned about growing and promoting healthier food and, in turn, a healthier planet.
Spade & Spoon, a family-owned and -operated meal kit company, supports local farmers, ranchers, bakers and other food and beverage makers by providing them with stable markets, fair prices and higher yields and efficient distribution methods. The company is dedicated to reducing waste. Customers return boxes and ice packs from prior orders by leaving them out for delivery drivers. Boxes are put together fresh with minimal packaging in the mornings.
Rubey partners with producers that have sustainable, regenerative and or- ganic practices. While some producers may not be certified organic (since it can be cost-prohibitive for small growers), local organic quality is her top priority in choosing the company’s ingredients.
Honey- crisp kale salad with feta and pomegranates.
Curated boxes include three set selections from one meal category, such as Mediterranean, gluten and dairy-free, vegan, vegetarian, surf and turf and “quick and simple.” A build-your-own-box option lets a customer choose three selections from different categories. Among the 900 dinner options are cauliflower and chickpea tacos, hoisin glazed pork meatballs and Cuban picadillo with spicy black beans. All meals serve four, and orders of at least $75 are delivered free, with a minimum order of $35.
Rubey launched the Colorado company in November 2022 after successfully creating a similar business in the Pacific Northwest, where she and her family still live part-time. Her team opened Acme Farms & Kitchen in 2011. The company has helped sell more than $24 million of local food in the Pacific Northwest, working alongside more than 70 local producers. Its business boomed three-fold during the pandemic and now has over 5,000 customers. The newer Spade & Spoon has built a client base of about 1,000 since opening.
Falafel-spiced flatbread with roasted chickpeas and cauliflower sit on top of a bed of arugula, red onions and lemon tahini sauce.
Spade & Spoon’s meal kits and pantry items feature popular local farmers market vendors such as Sfoglina, Not Bad Cooks, Hearth Bakery, Five Freedoms Dairy, Switch Gears Farms and dozens of other Colorado food producers to offer seasonal recipes designed by longtime chef Andrew Clarke.
Although some kits require a few pantry staples, such as olive oil, salt and pepper, all the ingredients needed to make the meal are included, along with a recipe card. Most of the sauces, spice blends and baking mixes are made in-house.
In addition to its regular rotating dinner kits, Spade & Spoon has seasonal specials, including a 21-day “New Year Reset,” Valentine’s date night and a festive Halloween offering. Spade & Spoon de- livers to the greater Denver, Boulder and Fort Collins regions.
Irene Middleman Thomas is an avid foodie who loves exploring innovative and creative new restaurants wherever she goes. She writes about travel, food and lifestyles, often for Colorado Expression.
