Today we’d like to introduce you to Kris Davia.
Kris, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My Mighty Meals started about 3 years ago while we were preparing for a bodybuilding competition. During this time, you need to be very regimented with your meals and calorie intake. Several people at our workplace constantly saw us eating while still losing weight and asked how we were doing it.
We went on to explain how we prep our meals and follow a meal plan. To us, this process seemed very normal coming from the bodybuilding world but surprisingly most of the people we talked to had little to no idea how or what to do when it came to meal prep. From there, we just started cooking more of our meals and letting people try them.
Little by little, word spread at our workplace as well as at our gym and people seemed to really enjoy the meals! My wife and I decided to try to make a business out of it. We went to the city and got licensed, insured, and found a commercial rental kitchen to cook out of.
For the next two years, we tried to spread the word as much as possible about what we were doing. We visited as many gyms, corporate offices, and farmers markets as we could in the Chicagoland area, handing out samples, telling people about our product.
All the while, working full-time day jobs and cooking overnight to get meals out to our clients. As I mentioned, we have seen the most growth within this last year because of that I was able to walk away from my full-time corporate job to pursue this as a career.
How it works:
Our program is relatively simple but I think that is why most enjoy it. Almost everything is done through email. When a prospective client reaches out we start them with an initial questionnaire. The questionnaire asks several questions including height/weight, food allergies/dislikes, and goals.
From there, we can add them to our email list that receives an email twice a week with the menu attached. Clients looking to order can open the google form and select which meals they need for the week. We always offer 4 menu items; 1 breakfast meal and 3 lunch/dinner options.
Along with the different meals, we offer different portion options for people with specific goals. Once the meals are ordered, I build a spreadsheet with everyone’s orders. This spreadsheet also includes a portion breakdown for each ingredient of the meal.
Almost every ingredient of each meal gets scaled out and added to provide exact calorie counts. These numbers are built on an online calorie counter prior to grocery shopping and cooking so we know how much of each ingredient to buy. This has been a huge saving when it comes to extra food and waste.
From there, we go into the kitchen every Sunday and Wednesday to prep, cook, and package the meals. We have several drops off/ pick up locations around the Chicagoland area as well as I make direct deliveries on Monday and Thursday depending on the location.
Has it been a smooth road?
There have definitely been some struggles. When we first started, my wife and I had no idea how to go about starting a business. There was a lot of trial and error and learning as we go. With that came many struggles and frustrations.
On top of that, we were both working full-time jobs as well. We would cook overnight, go work during the day and then get the meals out after work. Many days of no sleep. After about 2 years of that, I was able to step away from my full-time job and pursue this full time.
That has helped grow tremendously and allowed us better cooking times. Probably the biggest struggle has been this past year when my little brother died. Completely, an unexpected accident that crushed my family.
To say it was hard to go on would be an understatement. He is without a doubt constantly on our minds but I know we have to continue. And we have grown substantially in this year, thankfully.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I think the meal prep industry is getting pretty saturated. There have been many “niche” companies created to help satisfy everyone’s dietary restrictions/goals.
I do not believe there will be many more companies starting. However, the increasing ability to skip meals and the increasing use of technology to order/streamline processes will allow companies to continue to grow.
Pricing:
- $8 per meal standard size (400-500 calories, balanced meal of protein, fat, carb)
- $9 per meal small customize size (under 500 calories, meal portions specific to client goals)
- $11 per meal large customize size (over 500 calories, meal portion specific to client goal
Contact Info:
- Website: mymightymeals.com
- Email: mymightymeals@gmail.com
- Instagram: mymightymeals
- Facebook: mymightymeals
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