This healthy Midlands spot is temporarily closing, citing ‘perfect storm’ of issues

Chris Trainor
·2 min read

Primal Gourmet, which has made a name for itself in offering prepared meals with fresh ingredients, announced Tuesday morning that it will be temporarily closed, citing various supply chain and industry issues.

There is a prominent Primal Gourmet Kitchen and Market location at 725 Meeting St. in West Columbia. There also is a location in Irmo. The business has offered a number of services, including a subscription service for freshly prepared meals.

In an announcement on social media and the business’ website on Tuesday, Primal Gourmet indicated it was hitting pause after running into supply chain and other problems.

“It is with a heavy heart that we are formally announcing a temporary closure of Primal Gourmet,” the business posted on Instagram. “We have been hit with a perfect storm of bad circumstances that many in our industry have also experienced, and we are not satisfied that we can currently provide our services with the quality and value we promise our customers.”

In a lengthy online message, Primal Gourmet owner Greg Martin said he hoped the hiatus will “be measured in weeks, not months.” The message also noted that any subscriptions and meal plans have been canceled and that those who have an account will not be charged anything moving forward.

“We did not come to this decision lightly, as every option was considered, and we believe this will give us the best chance to be able to operate in the future at the highest level of quality that you have come to expect,” Martin wrote in the online message. “The ongoing supply chain issues, the shortage of qualified employees, the extreme increases in the cost of goods we require, and the never-ending challenges of the pandemic have crippled our ability to operate in the way we have promised our customers.”

The business owner stressed the closure is intended to be temporary.

“We need to take a hard look at every aspect of what we do and find new ways to be able to serve our customers in such a way that we can keep our promises of quality and value,” Martin wrote. “Please do not think we are leaving you; we are simply making the best choice for the long-term health of our company.”