Tastemade Raises $25M From Scripps And Liberty Media, Will Release An Android Mobile App Soon

In just two years, Tastemade has made a name for itself among online viewers as the premiere video network for foodies. With a mix of content produced in-house, as well as videos created by members of its creator network, Tastemade now has more than 18 million uniques per month.

Tastemade, however, wants to grow a whole lot faster. So it has raised $25 million in new, Series C funding led by Food Network parent Scripps Network Interactive, as well as Liberty Media, which owns stakes in a number of different media and investment companies.

The new money comes on top of $15 million that it had previously raised from investors that include Redpoint Ventures, Raine Ventures, and Comcast Ventures. Along with the new funding, Brooke Johnson, who is the president of the food category at Scripps, will join Tastemade’s board.

Tastemade’s business is all about video content that is food-centric, providing a wide range of cooking shows and related content that is distributed mostly through YouTube. It has a slate of shows that it produces itself in a studio that the company built in Los Angeles, including Thirsty For…, which won a James Beard Award.

The company also acts as curator for independent video creators who are a part of its network. The majority of that programming is monetized through ads that run on YouTube.

But Tastemade is looking at new revenue opportunities — like producing food-related videos for brands, for instance. One example of that content is Local Flight, a cocktail-related series that it put together for Vodka brand Grey Goose. And according to co-founder Larry Fitzgibbon, Tastemade has been testing out direct payments from viewers for cooking classes and other long-form content.

tastemade android

Along with all the content that it’s been producing and distributing, Tastemade has also been building products to help others make and share their own videos. Last August it released an iPhone app that allows users to record their own short video epiosdes showing off their favotire dishes and restaurants.

Later this month, Tastemade plans to release an Android version of the app, which will expand the number of users that will be able to create and share their videos. The Android app will be available on Samsung phones first.

With strategic money from Scripps and Liberty, Tastemade could find new ways to collaborate with properties like The Food Network on content or monetization. In the meantime, the company also plans to ramp up hiring and building its team.