Big changes are coming to beloved Austin establishment The Soup Peddler. In an open letter released Monday, founder David Ansel announced the end of the business' longstanding delivery service.

Since 2002, The Soup Peddler has been delivering homemade soup to hungry Austinites. Over more than a decade, the business has also evolved into a local chain with three brick-and-mortar locations — and a fourth one "in the oven."

During that time, Ansel has watched the local food scene evolve into something new, too. "When I began this business, Austin (and frankly the world) was truly a different place," writes Ansel.

"In the food world, there were no farmers’ markets. There were no food trailers. There were no food bloggers. There was no downtown (to speak of). There was no flood of restaurant investment. There were no 'disruptive apps' that brought food to your door ... So the competitive food landscape has changed dramatically, and the competitive attention landscape has changed too."

Simply put, Austin's new culinary scene has made the delivery service's ability to remain relevant — and solvent — a struggle. "I revisited the numbers, and the numbers said, 'It's time to let go,'" says Ansel.

The good news is that the storefronts have been a hit. "We found that the stores were an exciting showcase of what we can do, and that the audience and response were expanding and affirming. In short, 'bricks and mortar' clearly became the path forward for The Soup Peddler."

The last chance for delivery from The Soup Peddler is the week of July 12.