Tell that to 44-year-old Scott Harris,
“It’s because of the integrity of the ingredients, variety, [ability to] choose your own meals, and track your calories and nutritional info,” Harris says of DeliverLean’s success. “We use insulated cooler bags that keep the food at 41 degrees to ensure food safety and have a customer service staff that ensures that our customers have the best experience possible.”
In four years, Harris, a finalist for the 2015 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, has grown DeliverLean into a $13-million business with 140 employees. Harris’ company delivers 150,000 meals monthly between Kendall and Jupiter, recently expanded into Orlando and Tampa, and donates overages to Miami’s Lotus House, a homeless shelter for women and children.
Harris’ recent partnership with world-renowned vegan chef Mark Reinfeld of the Vegan Fusion Academy promises to infuse exciting, ethnic flavors into DeliverLean’s existing variety of plant-based cuisine.
“I became vegetarian because of a strong love for animals, then I became vegan because I felt better without dairy and eggs,” says Reinfeld of his nutrition evolution that began in 1990.
After dropping out of NYU law school and traveling through Europe, India, Israel, and Nepal, Reinfeld moved to California to hone his cooking skills. At 40, he now trains and certifies aspiring vegan chefs.
And for those not fortunate enough to be a world-traveled, gourmet vegan chef themselves, there is DeliverLean.
“It’s not just having the food taste good,” says Reinfeld. “You want it to be visually appealing, so you want texture, depth, and color.”
Harris originally founded DeliverLean on the premise of corporate wellness. In an effort to increase employee morale, productivity, and well-being, companies such as the Broward Sherriff’s Office and Zimmerman Advertising have jumped onboard the DeliverLean bandwagon.
Alina Z. is a plant-based chef and co-creator of DeliverLean’s DL revAMP detox program. The program includes both raw, organic foods and DeliverLean’s proprietary OnJuice Liquid Cleanse instead of a typical juice-only cleanse. Winner of Harper’s Bazaar's No. One Best Diet for 2015, the detox program includes meals every two to three hours to ensure clients do not go hungry.
Alina Z. has a simple way of looking at veganism for anyone who feels that forgoing animal products might be a sacrifice. She says that not eating vegan is actually the bigger sacrifice.
“You are depriving yourself of energy when you eat foods that take it away from you,” she says of the typical meat and dairy diet. “[A vegan diet] is better for you and better for the environment.”
The meal plans are highly
Harris says vegans and vegetarians need not worry about cross-contamination with animal products due to the company’s rigorous food safety and sanitization procedures. Separate utensils and equipment are used for vegan products, which are actually processed and assembled in a different room than animal products. Even organic produce is stored separately from nonorganic produce.
“You’ll feel amazing,” Harris says of the DL revAMP detox. “The mental clarity, your energy level — it’s a real kick-start for your body.”
DeliverLean starts at $9.95 a meal and comes in classic, Paleo, vegetarian, and vegan. Visit deliverlean.com.
Wendy Rhodes is a freelance writer and award-winning author. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter @WendyRhodesFL.
