• by Erik Sass , Staff Writer @eriksass1, September 1, 2015

Over the last 17 years, Allrecipes, which grew from a fledgling recipe site into one of the world’s largest food portals, was acquired by Reader’s Digest Association and then Meredith Corp.

Then, it reversed the usual media polarity by launching a print magazine. Now, it’s undergoing yet another transition with the launch of a new digital platform, transforming the site into what it claims is the first food-focused social network.

The overhaul is intended to keep abreast of the wider shift to mobile and online video, while taking Allrecipes back to its roots as an online community defined by home cooks sharing their best recipes with each other.

The new site provides a single responsive touch-based format that is consistent across devices, so cooks can access new and saved recipes whenever and however they want.

It also boasts a number of new features, including “The Cooking Graph,” a personalized tool that anticipates the individual user’s interests and needs, and makes it easier to connect with their favorite home cooks and brands. Another new feature, “I Made It,” enables cooks to share their creations and favorite foods with their followers.

Allrecipes is also introducing expanded profiles that allow users to connect with each other, as well as brands based on food preferences and dietary needs. Finally, “Personal Collections” enable cooks to curate recipes suited to various needs, like special occasions versus everyday recipes; the Personal Collections can be viewed and followed by other users.

According to Meredith, Allrecipes.com attracts over 40 million unique visitors per month, with over two-thirds of visits coming from mobile devices. Users are viewing over 100 million Allrecipes videos per year.

The brand’s print incarnation is growing fast. Last month Meredith announced that Allrecipes magazine is raising its rate base 14% from 1.1 million to 1.25 million. This was the fourth increase in the magazine’s rate base since it launched in November 2013.