Have you ever been too shy to ask why someone is so successful, yet too eager to figure out the secrets of the pros? No one will fault you for wondering about Marc Lore Wonder startup.
After selling Diapers.com to Amazon and Jet.com to Walmart, people were wondering, “What’s next?” The answer is Wonder, and many consider it to be the Amazon of food.
Serial entrepreneur Marc Lore has big plans for the food tech and delivery space, so this blog post will explore the ins and outs of it.
Table of Contents:
- The Early Life and Entrepreneurial Spark of Marc Lore
- From ThePit.com to Diapers.com
- Jet.com and Walmart
- Marc Lore Wonder Startup Aims To Be the Amazon of Food
- Key Challenges Facing Marc Lore Wonder Startup
- What Makes Wonder Different from Competitors?
- Conclusion
The Early Life and Entrepreneurial Spark of Marc Lore
To really understand Wonder, you must understand Marc Lore first. Born in 1971, Lore’s upbringing was not always smooth, with financial instability and family issues playing a role. These difficult experiences during childhood helped develop the mental fortitude to face uncertainty, and it helped propel him to become a successful entrepreneur.
At a young age, Lore discovered a competitive edge. As his uncle Joe Lore recalls, Lore tried to beat the odds in his teen years by placing smaller amounts on multiple, or all, horses in a single race to guarantee a win.
From ThePit.com to Diapers.com
After gaining experience in the financial world, Marc Lore quit his job to pursue his entrepreneurial ambitions. In 1999, with Vinit Bharara and Lax Chandra, he started an online stock market called ThePit.com. It mirrored the performance of professional athletes.
While the dotcom bubble affected that business, the dream didn’t die there for Lore. Diapers.com was launched in 2005. This new e-commerce site caught the attention of Amazon executives.
Amazon implemented a ruthless attack of 30% price cuts on diapers. The fear of what Amazon would do led to the decision to sell in 2010. Lore, a visionary in the startup ecosystem, used this learning as he planned his next startup.
Jet.com and Walmart
After his experience with Amazon, Lore wasn’t done. He started Jet.com and was ready to compete with Amazon once again. He showed great fortitude in the face of giants.
Before its public launch, Lore axed a planned membership fee to raise the potential ceiling of the business and attract more investor money. Ultimately, Doug McMillon persuaded Lore to sell Jet in 2016.
According to this Forbes article, Lore’s journey is nothing short of inspiring for founders. As president and CEO of U.S. e-commerce at Walmart, Lore helped change the way people perceived the brand. This was no small feat, as he had to the brand in a saturated marketplace.
Marc Lore Wonder Startup Aims To Be the Amazon of Food
After his time with Walmart, Lore set his sights on revolutionizing the food industry with Wonder. This venture aims to become the go-to platform for all food delivery needs.
His ambition is that, through Wonder, you can order from a Wonder facility, or through Grubhub, or even order groceries and have them delivered using one app. An AI agent would learn from the user’s behavior, giving recommendations of what to eat and helping deliver those meals to your door.
But what exactly is Wonder trying to accomplish? What is the goal for Lore’s team in this exciting venture?
How Marc Lore is Reimagining the Dining Experience
Lore is focusing on a platform that provides a seamless experience. Families are constantly battling over which restaurant to choose when it comes to meal time.
Imagine an app where everyone in the family can pick exactly what they want from different restaurants all in one place. One order could include a cheeseburger from Burger Baby, a spicy tuna bowl from Hanu Poke, ribs from Tejas Barbecue of Tomball, Texas, and a hearty Cobb salad from Royal Greens.
According to this Forbes article, it isn’t enough to merely make claims. What steps has Lore taken to reach success?
Combining Authenticity and Innovation
Wonder aims for more than convenience. It wants to deliver great taste. This goal is simple to say but takes hard work to accomplish.
That’s why Wonder has dishes from famed establishments like Bobby Flay Steak, Brooklyn’s Di Fara Pizza, and celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson’s fried chicken joint, Streetbird. Last September, at the grand opening of Wonder’s 17th location, Lore wore a dark-green Wonder baseball cap, a beige hoodie over a crisp white tee, and multicolored Nike SB Dunk Low Pro “What the Dunk” kicks, which can fetch more than $10,000 on sneaker-resale apps.
Here’s the twist. You may order at brick and mortar locations or even through their app.
Wonder’s Use of NYC Vacant Storefronts
Since its launch, Wonder has been breathing life into vacant storefronts across New York City. As Wonder continues its expansion it’s opening outposts in Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn. In addition to locations in the suburbs and New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, they have plans to have 95 locations by the end of next year.
Rather than needing gas-powered stoves, the kitchens only need a hot water bath, a rapid-cook oven, and a fryer. This can greatly reduce overhead expenses and potential accidents. Wonder, and Lore, have truly found a differentiating aspect.
Rapid Growth of Marc Lore Wonder Startup
Wonder is rapidly acquiring other businesses to enhance its offerings. It acquired meal-kit company Blue Apron and delivery company Grubhub. According to this article, Marc Lore understands growth opportunities. With these acquisitions, it is poised to take a leadership role in the food delivery industry.
In March 2025, Wonder announced its acquisition of Tastemade to build what it calls “the super app for mealtime.” This will promote Wonder to an even wider audience. They are looking to take over mealtimes.
Expansion to Other Retailers
Wonder isn’t just focused on standalone locations. The company has been experimenting with locations inside Walmart stores.
In February 2024, Wonder opened its first location inside a Walmart store, helping customers eat and shop in the same location. This location was 750-square-feet.
The idea to bring the ease of a restaurant to an easy shopping location allows Lore’s Wonder to stand out from competitors. There is great business acumen to his leadership and Wonder’s plans.
Wonder’s B2B Kitchen Technology
A key aspect of Wonder’s strategy involves its kitchen technology. Wonder offers flexible, scalable, and consistent food preparation, allowing Wonder to set up kitchens in stadiums and amusement parks.
It is a great tool for food preparation at different locations. By expanding B2B, Wonder is trying to capture new markets to expand their leadership in the marketplace.
Key Challenges Facing Marc Lore Wonder Startup
The food industry is brutal. Will Lore succeed with his concept? Consistency in the restaurant environment is a constant challenge.
This is even harder when take-out orders can sometimes fail to retain the same standards as dine-in experiences. Is Wonder good enough to be consistent with this in mind?
As Wonder grows and introduces locations across the US, it needs to constantly stay consistent and make sure their execution of the concept is working. There can be bumps in the road with a fast-growing concept.
The IPO Dream
Lore’s prior deals for Quidsi and Jet were ones that were made out of some sort of pressure and led to both brands dissolving into larger entities. Now, Lore says he dreams of building an IPO.
Lore told me: “If it’s an IPO and it’s tens of billions—10, 20, 30 billion—that would be the biggest entrepreneurial achievement of my career.” Lore’s current aim for Wonder is to go public in 2029.
An IPO is a goal that would signal Wonder’s hard work paying off in the restaurant business. To take on that goal will take hard work from the entire team.
Addressing Consistency Issues
Wonder needs to improve its execution, particularly in food quality and order accuracy. Wonder will need to deliver reliably great meals if it hopes to become a true success story.
Customers do not want to keep going to a restaurant that constantly messes up their orders. This would impact not just short-term business but also hurt the business long-term if there are consistency issues. There has to be a streamlined and standardized way to prep the orders.
Competition from other startups and solutions
While it isn’t the first digital food hall of sorts, industry watchers wonder whether it will be the one that succeeds. Many potential investors doubted that Wonder could succeed and scale to its lofty valuations and plans.
There are many established players in the restaurant market, so Lore’s Wonder has an uphill battle to disrupt and differentiate. But with its strong plans and execution, Lore’s team has set out a goal to meet and beat competitors.
What Makes Wonder Different from Competitors?
Wonder touts itself as vertically integrated, noting how they own all aspects of the process. This ownership drives brand power. Is it true?
Being able to control the product at each level is a powerful strategy for a growing restaurant. This helps ensure brand quality as well as give Wonder the upper-hand against competitors. It all adds to Wonder’s innovative and forward-thinking approach.
Focus on technology and a consolidated delivery system
In April, Wonder acquired Relay, a NY-based delivery company. Wonder’s model promises hot meals from 30 different restaurants in a single order, owning delivery from start to finish.
Owning the delivery process ensures that the food quality is not diminished. It gives them more control in the brand experience to customers.
Net Promoter Score
Wonder’s current NPS score is approximately 60. However, traditional delivery apps are in the single digits.
Lore believes what differentiates the brand is vertical integration where everything from app to customer experience leads to incredible returns and success in his endeavor.
A good NPS score for Lore’s Wonder helps boost the brand and keep existing customers happy and ordering more food. It helps build trust and adds brand awareness.
Business To Business Opportunities
There is great B2B opportunities that Wonder can accomplish and build upon. It will continue to evolve with different market demands.
· A vision of AI-driven technology that will change the way people think about food and plan their meals. Lore views food as medicine and believes AI could play a major role in making the world healthier.
· Wonder’s B2B business, wherein it sells its kitchen technology — which doesn’t require traditional gas setups and hoods, allowing for flexible, scalable, and consistent food preparation in non-traditional venues like stadiums and amusement parks.
These areas are what Wonder should capitalize to become an industry leader. It sets itself apart and it is innovative for what is coming for restaurants.
Conclusion
Marc Lore Wonder startup seeks to revolutionize how people approach the food industry and delivery. Whether it’s focusing on vertical integration, its technology or new business opportunities, Lore is on a mission.
Only time will tell if the Marc Lore Wonder startup succeeds. So whether you’re building your own “Amazon-killer”, or are already crushing it and want to avoid some missteps, hopefully you can take these concepts and incorporate them to reach your north star in entrepreneurship.
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