Today we’d like to introduce you to Christopher Sweeney.
Hi Christopher, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
RightMealz was created in 2015 after learning a few hard lessons. I was a real estate hopeful, fresh out of college who struggled to make ends meet. Sleeping in my office because I couldn’t afford a place to stay yet, since income was based on any deal you had lined up in escrow. I had zero for a long time. As time went on, I was able to find a place to rent but still continued to struggle making rent and car payments. I had my car repossessed and was unable to drive to my office from Long Beach so I was stuck at home, panicking trying to figure out what my next move was. Mind you, I was extremely broke and lived off brown rice, chicken, and broccoli. I was always in shape since working out was my therapy to get away from all the issues I was facing at that time.
One day a co-worker from the office I was previously working at asked me if I could cook him the meals I was preparing for myself. At the time, I had negative $56 in my account and agreed to cook meals for him if he venomed me $120 (I figured it would be enough to cover my debt in my account so I can purchase food, as well as to take an Uber out his way since I was careless).
I get to the office and realize I didn’t have any money to get back home, nor a working cell phone without WIFI because I didn’t pay my phone bill. I jumped on a computer and reached out to a friend to see if he could get me an Uber home because I was “having car problems,” something I told everyone because I was too embarrassed to let people know I didn’t have a car at that point.
I get home and get on WIFI, and there were a ton of Facebook notifications. This person posted the meals I made for him, and next thing you know, everyone in the office wanted meals. I went from cooking his ten meals to 50 meals for other people in the office. I had no idea what I was doing, having to Uber back and forth to ralphs to get food. I think at one point, I had the grill going on our deck, the stovetop, and the oven all at once. Working 14 hour days in the kitchen, literally with no cooking background. I cried a lot wondering how Division One Student Athlete who had the world in his hands becomes a “cook” with no car and just doing it because I had no other option. I cried pretty much every time I stepped in the kitchen, but something told me inside to keep going.
I eventually was able to come up with the name RightMealz, because there were times when I would cook more than I needed, so a group of my friends and I would go out to pass meals out to the unfortunate people on the streets of Long Beach. I created the name RightMealz, and our slogan “Nourish your body, feed your soul.” I tried to get involved with the community as much as possible to give back whenever I had the opportunity to.
I was eventually able to get into my first kitchen, renting a space until I outgrew that kitchen and ended up at the Boathouse on the Bay. A kitchen owned by Long Beach’s very own John Morris. A well-known restauranteur who pretty much mentored me through the process of where I am today with RightMealz. I was able to utilize his kitchen space and grow exponentially. Although I did still manage to struggle here and there since I had absolutely no help financially, with everything coming directly out of my pocket. There was a point where I got my car repossessed for a second time. I was also homeless, couch hopping between four of my friends’ homes, sometimes sleeping in a garage, and even my boxing gym. I still managed to get orders done. I would sometimes start in the kitchen at 8pm at night and leave the kitchen at 6am the next morning, grab a coffee and go out and do deliveries. I still managed to make it happen, and to this day, I still look back and think, WOW. I Ubered around or borrowed cars for almost four years until I was able to finally purchase a car of my own. Making sure all my clients received their meals. I made sure that my clients came first before me every weekend I stepped foot in the kitchen. I was able to network with people I knew throughout the city of Long Beach.
With all the trials and tribulations, I gained a clear vision of what I wanted RightMealz to be. I wanted to give my clients the best service possible and a product that was made purely from the heart and Grit.
After six years of a roller coaster ride, I created something that molded into a premium meal prep company. Working out of a commercial kitchen with a team that has over 25 years of combined foodservice experience. I created a product that can confidently provide delicious, affordable, nutrient-dense meals while brokering with some of the Nation’s leading food distributors. I went from freaking out about 40 meals to being a company that is equipped to meet the demand of high volumes while maintaining superior quality, unrivaled attention to detail and reliability.
RightMealz is entrusted to Southern California’s premier schools, sports academies, sports teams, and high-caliber athletes. RightMealz worked with clients such as The Los Angeles Kings athletes, The Ontario Reign athletes, Los Angeles Chargers athletes, and high-performance centers like Exos Sports of Los Angeles, Evo Sports Training, Stars Training Academy, and Spellman Preperformance. We have also catered to over 200 current NFL athletes and built relationships with some of the top sports agencies. RightMealz has designed and prepared delicious meals for multiple NFL combine training camps throughout southern California, working with some of the top NFL drafts picks over the last several years. And recently, one of my biggest accomplishments is having RightMealz being one of 225 businesses selected for inclusion in the Super Bowl LVI Business Connect Program.
RightMealz also advocates for giving back to our community. In past years, we have partnered with various community organizations such as The Boys and Girls Club, Children Today, Save the Children, and Snow on 15thStreet.
I look back and at amazement just writing this and it’s crazy that when you truly want something in life, and you apply tunnel vision and have passion for what your doing…. The sky is the limit.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Financing. Having accountable cooks and drivers. Dietary restrictions and accommodations to meet individual client needs while managing a larger scale production. My first four years of business, it was really a one man show. Working the website, marketing, cooking, prepping, deliveries, customer service, bagging, fielding client calls, and more. Another struggle was sharing a commercial kitchen and having to manage my production around restaurant operations, which resulted in pulling a lot of all-nighters.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
What sets us apart is our unraveled attention to detail and the fact that we primarily work with elite athletes, sports agencies, and with professional sports teams. I’m most proud of where we are today and how far we made it without any additional financial backing. I’m proud of the quality of the meals we produce and the clients that we work with.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
I was extremely hyper and very athletic, I played sports from six years old through college. I always felt the need to have to prove myself and I never saw giving up as an option in anything I started. I grew up with my dad and stepmom in San Clemente.
Pricing:
- Monthly Meal packages: $230-$830
- Individual Meals: $9.50-%13.50
Contact Info:
- Email: rightmealz@gmail.com
- Website: RightMealz.com
- Instagram: RightMealz
- Facebook: RightMealz
- Twitter: RightMealz
- Youtube: RightMealz Food Services
Image Credits:
Pictured with Dak Prescott with the Dallas Cowboys and Alexander Mattison with the Minnesota Vikings
