Evonne and Don Varady are on a Mission to Bring Affordable Nutrition Nationwide
The Clean Eatz restaurant company grew out of Evonne Varady’s commitment to helping others improve their health through a holistic approach to wellness. She was working as a fitness trainer at a gym and decided to help her clients focus on healthy eating as well.
“I started preparing meals for my personal training clients, recognizing that feeling and looking good requires good nutrition in addition to exercise,” she says. She had noticed that many of her clients had plateaued in their efforts to become healthier, partly because the gym was in an area that had few dining options other than fast food.
“That’s ultimately what led me to begin crafting ready-made meals in my own kitchen to provide to those clients,” she says. The meals offered an optimal balance of proteins, carbs, and fat — plus, they tasted good. “Before I knew it, the entire gym was asking for these meals.”
In response to the demand, she and her husband, Don (pictured above), opened the first Clean Eatz location in Wilmington, N.C., in 2013, serving nutritious food in a fast-casual atmosphere. As that restaurant flourished, they began to think about growth. A group of advisers pointed them toward franchising, which the Varadys realized would expand people’s access to healthier food choices as their business grew.
“We know there is a lack of access to healthy eating across the country,” Varady says. “We recognized the need to combat that and knew the most efficient way was likely through franchising. Our connection to the community also makes franchising the perfect vehicle to bring our holistic approach to nutrition to life.”
This approach is well-timed, given the increasing demand for ready-made meals. According to a report by Fortune Business Insights, the prepared meals market is experiencing significant growth, driven by consumers’ fast-paced lifestyles and the increasing preference for convenience foods. The U.S. market was valued at $143 billion in 2020 and is projected to grow from $151 billion in 2021 to $248 billion in 2028.
Franchising the Brand
Clean Eatz began franchising in 2015 and today has more than 100 locations across the country, including six new markets so far this year, with plans to enter three more states. The Varadys have made sure, though, that expansion has not diluted the company’s commitment to encouraging wellness.
“The first and best thing we did to establish our brand was to bring in franchisees who understood and embraced our mission to help people change their lives and had the vision to bring that effort to life in their own communities,” Varady says, noting that many of their franchisees started out as Clean Eatz customers. “The power of a brand is more than logos and colors — it’s the execution of our core values by our franchisees, and those initial franchisees knocked it out of the park. We still prioritize culture fit when bringing on new owners, and that has protected our brand. The real driving factors behind our expansion are our culture and our revenue model.”
Clean Eatz franchises have multiple revenue streams, including the dine-in café, grab-and-go prepared meals, snack choices, catering and weekly meal plans. These meal plans feature nutritious food and can be customized for dietary restrictions and preferences. The ready-made meals can be shipped anywhere in the country (except Hawaii), even to areas without a nearby Clean Eatz café.
Another way that the company makes nutritional meals more accessible is by keeping the food affordable. People wrongly assume that healthier food must be more expensive than other choices, Varady says. “At Clean Eatz, we pride ourselves on making our chef-inspired, nutritionist-approved meals affordable for anyone, whether they are dining in, carrying out, or ordering a meal delivery to their doorstep,” she says. “Meals average $9.79, allowing virtually anyone, with any lifestyle, to experience how Clean Eatz is capable of helping them live their healthiest life. We’re making that possibility more accessible to the public than it’s ever been before,” which is especially beneficial in areas with limited food options and few grocery stores.
Community Focus
As part of the company’s community focus, the Clean Eatz Foundation was launched late last year as the charitable arm of the organization, with an emphasis on working to reduce childhood obesity. One of the foundation’s first initiatives is sponsoring some of the campers at Camp Pocono Trails, a summer camp focused on health and wellness.
“American youth tend to be left out of the larger conversation when it comes to practicing and promoting healthier habits in our daily lives. The Clean Eatz Foundation was established to begin shifting that reality,” Varady says.
The company itself is looking toward growth. “We will continue to grow the footprint of the brand, bringing accessible, healthy eating to the entire country,” she says. “We will also continue to evolve our menu to feature fan favorites in an effort to keep our meals relevant and interesting. Over the next five to ten years, you will see us continue to innovate in our customer service and menu offerings.”
For more information about Clean Eatz, visit https://cleaneatz.com/franchise.
