A meal prep delivery company headquartered in Wilmington is providing healthy fare for more than half of the NBA’s 30 minor league teams this year.
 
Clean Eatz Kitchen, the direct-to-consumer sister company to Clean Eatz cafes, started shipping its healthy frozen meals and snacks to about 500 players and personnel in the NBA’s G League last month as the teams geared up for the 2022-23 season. Chelsea Schneiders, account and support manager for Clean Eatz Kitchen, said their new NBA partners have shared positive feedback about their experience so far.  
 
“The guys are loving the meals,” Schneiders said, adding that their favorites so far include bang bang chicken – a “Clean Eatz classic” – and pasta dishes, particularly Cajun chicken pasta and Philly cheesesteak pasta.
 
In exchange for brand exposure for Clean Eatz, NBA G League players and personnel receive monthly shipments packed with nutritionally balanced frozen meals, high-protein cauliflower crust pizzas and healthy frozen dessert bars. Schneiders said most of the frozen meals on Clean Eatz Kitchen’s menu are under 600 calories, making them a good option for busy players in-between more substantial meals.
 
“These are really athletic, big guys and I’m sure they’re eating a ton. So the way we have posed these meals to be helpful for them in their day-to-day consumption is that they’re ideal for a snack, a pre-game snack or post-shoot meal,” Schneiders said.
 
The teams also have access to Clean Eatz dietitian Crystal Zabka-Belsky as part of the agreement. Zabka-Belsky is a registered dietitian with experience in sports nutrition, including past stints with the NBA G League.
 
The agreement lasts through April of next year when the G League’s season ends. Schneiders said Clean Eatz is hopeful the partnership will continue and lead to work with more professional sports organizations.
 
“We’re hopeful for this to be a long-term partnership and agreement. Just in one month, it’s already drawn a lot of attention from other sports agencies,” Schneiders said. “We’re really excited to continue this and hope to bring more opportunities on.”
 
Clean Eatz has grown rapidly since owners Don and Evonne Varady opened the first Clean Eatz cafe on Racine Drive in 2013. By the end of this year, there will be approximately 200 Clean Eatz cafe locations across the United States.
 
The direct-to-consumer sister operation Clean Eatz Kitchen launched in 2017. Clean Eatz Kitchen ships boxes of frozen meals to customers nationwide from its headquarters in Wilmington or warehouses in St. Louis, Missouri or Salt Lake City, Utah depending on the location of the customer.
 
Each month, Clean Eatz Kitchen offers a menu of about three dozen frozen meals that customers can have delivered to their door within three business days. Participating NBA players and personnel choose from this same list, which includes options for breakfast, ketogenic diets and meals with extra protein.
 
The Clean Eatz business model is based on providing meals with balanced macronutrients (carbohydrates, fat and protein) at an affordable price. Schneiders said the company can also accommodate food allergies, including to gluten, upon request.