Two Wilmington startups have partnered to make it easier for businesses to sell healthy food, according to a press release Wednesday.
KWIPPED Inc., an online B2B equipment marketplace, and Clean Eatz Kitchen, a restaurant and prepared-meals business focusing on health foods, are joining forces to allow gyms, convenience stores and other businesses access to financing for refrigeration equipment needed to store prepared meals.
“Having access to KWIPPED’s financing solution makes it easier for businesses to sell our meals, which can play an important role in their customers’ health goals,” Jason Nista, CEO of Clean Eatz Kitchen, said in a press release. “Our goal is for price to no longer be an obstacle to healthy eating.”
Through the partnership, businesses interested in selling Clean Eatz meals, which “offer a healthy balance of fats, carbohydrates and protein,” can access a dedicated landing page with information on refrigerators recommended for the meal distribution.
Businesses can then submit finance applications on the KWIPPED platform that are “algorithmically matched with the finance companies most likely to approve the application and offer the lowest finance rates,” the release stated.
This new method for distributing and financing commercial freezers necessary to store prepared meals solves a major hurdle the company was facing when it came to expanding the distribution of its meals, Nista said in the release.
Through franchising, Clean Eatz has expanded its restaurants throughout the U.S. and it also offers weekly meal plans. According to its website, there are currently more than 50 locations in the country, with many locations opening soon.
The KWIPPED online marketplace provides B2B equipment rental, leasing and lease-to-own options through a network of suppliers.
“We are excited to help a fellow entrepreneur business expand its reach in a way that will help small businesses add to their product offerings and that will bring affordable, healthy food to a larger population,” KWIPPED founder and CEO Robert Preville said in the release.
Preville and Rob Kaiser, publishers of the Greater Wilmington Business Journal, are part owners of KWIPPED. Preville is part owner of the Business Journal.