ALEXANDRIA, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Smart Lunches, one of the web's fastest-growing providers of healthy meals for children, announced today that it has launched operations in and around Washington, D.C. The company now operates in seven states.
Daily deliveries of Smart Lunches’ kid- and nutritionist-approved meals began earlier this month at a dozen area schools that were eager to be among the first in the region to offer the company’s quality school lunches to their students. Inaugural schools include Christian Center School in Alexandria, VA; St. James Catholic School in Falls Church, VA; and Reston Montessori School in Reston, VA.
Smart Lunches, which launched in the Boston area in 2011 and is now the largest independent school lunch service in that region, serves thousands of lunches each week in southern New England, and in greater Philadelphia, where it began service in 2013. More than 270 elementary and middle schools, early childhood education centers, and summer day camps now host its “virtual lunch service.” The company teams with established local catering businesses to prepare its meals fresh every day, and then delivers them individually packaged and labeled to its partner schools. Students and staff choose from over a dozen meal options every day, saving parents the time of making lunches themselves. Smart Lunches contributes a portion of its meal revenues back to each school to support its educational mission.
“When Smart Lunches approached us about this option, we tested parent interest first,” said Morgan Slater, Director of Student Services at the Christian Center School in Alexandria, VA. “They were so excited, they started setting up their accounts right away. They're thrilled to have Smart Lunches providing their children with great-tasting food they want to eat. The food is fresh, substantial and tasty. Kids are loving it!”
"We're delighted to partner with Smart Lunches to provide our students and staff with healthy lunches. Smart Lunches has been very accommodating and supportive of our work,” said Sister Mary Sue Carwile, Principal at St. James Catholic School in Falls Church, VA. “It’s been a positive relationship from the very beginning. The kids are really enjoying the food.”
“Smart Lunches provides high-quality lunches personalized to each child's food preferences and restrictions,” added Rebecca Mondres, Head of School at Country Montessori School in Herndon, VA. “Their website is user-friendly and they've built a lot of flexibility into both ordering and scheduling for our parents.”
Smart Lunches’ inaugural catering partner in the region is To Your Taste Catering of Alexandria, VA. "TYTC has built a great reputation for delicious high-quality meals, and we're delighted to bring our team to the Smart Lunches service,” said Henry Crowder, To Your Taste’s Chief Operating Officer. “It's a great fit for us and we're thrilled to be nourishing the children of area schools.”
Next summer, local day camps — including Headfirst Summer Camps, the largest summer camp program in the D.C. area — will also offer Smart Lunches’ convenient service to their families.
Heading up the Smart Lunches team in the DC metropolitan area is Linda Graziano, Regional Manager. "Linda's background in the global and local technology sectors as well as her personal qualifications as a certified health coach make her a terrific leader in helping local schools understand and leverage the Smart Lunches service," said Anne Crays, SVP of Partners and Philanthropy at Smart Lunches.
About Smart Lunches:
Smart Lunches’ brings fun, nutritious high-quality meals to kids while providing great selection and convenience to parents. Smart Lunches is one of the Internet’s fastest growing companies, serving thousands of students each day at schools, daycare centers, and camps. The company shares a portion of its earnings with its partners and contributes to other programs that support underprivileged children — proving that great businesses can do great things while serving a higher purpose. http://www.smartlunches.com
