Our Story
Learn how Lean Kitchen became the fastest growing meal prep franchise in the country.
of making healty
eating a reality.
In 2015, Austin Evans and JR met at a local gym in St. Joseph, Missouri, bonding over a shared passion for health and wellness. At the time, Austin was running a supplement store, dedicated to helping people make informed choices about their health. Unlike typical stores, Austin’s goal wasn’t just sales—it was to truly support each customer’s wellness journey.
Austin quickly saw that the biggest hurdle people faced was their diet, and he believed meal prep could be done better. Together with JR, who was running his own meal prep side business, they envisioned a concept that would deliver healthy, delicious, and affordable meals.
July – Austin and JR start experimenting with meal prep recipes, using a small kitchen setup in the back of Fit Republic to bring their vision to life.
December – The first official Lean Kitchen location opens in St. Joseph, Missouri, offering fresh, convenient, and affordable meal prep options to the community.
June – Lean Kitchen moves into the Green Acres building in St. Joseph. The new space provides a foundation for further growth, even though it looks very different from today’s Lean Kitchen locations.
August – Austin and JR begin the process of making Lean Kitchen a franchisable concept, ready to expand beyond their local area.
November – A second location opens in Maryville, Missouri, marking a significant step in their journey to bring Lean Kitchen to more communities.
December – The first franchised Lean Kitchen location opens in Guntersville, Alabama, led by franchisees Trent Hammond and Rusty Gines. This milestone officially launches Lean Kitchen’s national expansion.
With a dedicated franchising office and a growing base of franchisees, Lean Kitchen quickly expanded to over 10 locations nationwide. Their approach gained national attention, with awards from Entrepreneur Magazine recognizing it as one of the top food franchises in the country.
"Our goal has always been more than just great food; it's about truly impacting lives." – Austin Evans
In late 2020, seasoned franchise leader Jim Sahene joined Lean Kitchen, bringing over 35 years of franchising experience to further support the company’s mission and growth.
Today, Lean Kitchen continues to make healthy, delicious, and convenient meals accessible to people across the country. From a small kitchen with a big vision, Lean Kitchen is now on a journey to impact lives and bring healthier choices to every community.
“Maybe even cooler than that though,
We have customers frequently stop in to grab meals & tell us they have been able to come off their diabetes medicine that they have been on their entire life, or tell us they don’t need their blood pressure meds anymore, or how they have lost 85 pounds just from eating our meals. Impacting somebody’s life in this way is a feeling that money can’t buy.
We want to deeply thank everyone that has supported us to this point. We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you and we are so grateful for your ongoing support as we continue to grow Lean Kitchen!”
-Austin Evans
Fresh. Healthy. Convenient.
FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM
