{"id":61727,"date":"2013-02-20T11:16:53","date_gmt":"2013-02-20T16:16:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/?p=61727"},"modified":"2018-06-04T09:20:59","modified_gmt":"2018-06-04T13:20:59","slug":"bpin-thompson81","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/2013\/02\/20\/bpin-thompson81\/","title":{"rendered":"Strictly Business profiles Home Bistro’s Dave Thompson ’81"},"content":{"rendered":"

The winter of 2001-02 was lean times for Dave Thompson ’81 and his new business, which produces frozen meals for folks who know food.<\/p>\n

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Dave Thompson’s company Home Bistro now employs 30, and he predicts that 2013 sales will top $11.2 million.<\/p><\/div>\n

Thompson told his wife, Bernadette, at one point that the business, Home Bistro, had $300 in cash and $455,000 in liabilities, according to a Feb. 4 profile in Strictly Business<\/em><\/a><\/strong>, an online publication covering northern New York.<\/p>\n

In those days, Thompson told reporter Carolee Smith, he was the company\u2019s only employee. He purchased the prepared meals from a gourmet caterer, sold them online and through a catalog, and shipped them to customers.<\/p>\n

In June 2002, venture capital came through. And in the succeeding decade, lean times have turned to lux. Thompson now employs 30 and predicts that 2013 sales will top $11.2 million.<\/p>\n

Home Bistro\u2019s products are meant to make life easier for people, reports Strictly Business<\/em>. Its chef-prepared meals are made with quality ingredients, delivered to your door and can go from freezer to table in 10 minutes.<\/p>\n

Smith writes: “You might, for instance, try the Maple Dijon Chicken,” with mushrooms in a creamy sauce served over a puff pastry shell, for $10.95. “Or a grilled mahi-mahi with herb and lime butter sauce served over beet orzo with grilled mixed vegetables ($13.95).”<\/p>\n