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Mareya Ibrahim, Eat Cleaner

FULL ESSAY

A labour of love 20 years in the making, EAT CLEANER comes at a time ripe for change. With over 78 million reported cases of foodborne illness in the U.S. annually and concerns around pesticides, processed food and questionable handling practices, EAT CLEANER is a new line of all-natural food wash and wipes that:
- Is lab-tested 99+% effective in killing Salmonella and E.coli
- Removes pesticides, wax and surface contaminants that can carry bacteria from produce, seafood and poultry
- Cleans without leaving any smell, taste or residue on food and enhances the appearance of food
- Inhibits browning and keeps food fresher, longer
- Safely cleans prep and cutting surfaces around food
- Cleans hands without alcohol

I founded EAT CLEANER with my dad, Dr. Shawki Ibrahim, Colorado State University Emeritus Professor, Ph.D., Environmental Health Sciences, M.A., Agriculture. With an emphasis on quality ingredients, sustainable packaging and beautiful branding, we created a line of all-natural products that allows consumers to take food safety into their own hands with the power of plant science. Dad has been an accomplished writer and professor for over 30 years, and began challenging government agencies to strengthen food safety procedures after receiving contaminated seafood at his local grocery store. I began my food and retail marketing career writing about sustainable agriculture and food safety issues (Food, not Phood) early in my career as the marketing director for Wild Oats Markets. Dad's brainchild and my love for all things culinary coupled with our mutual love for my kids â€" fueled the fire for this joint venture.

We had discussed the product concept for years, but in 2005, the year my son was born, dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer. In 2008, I became a single mother, was traveling almost weekly and my home had lost 30% of its value. It hit me hard that life is uncertain and ultimately, you have to make tough decisions that are right for you. In honor of my father's lifetime of commitment to his practice and my desire to create a lasting legacy for my children and an improved quality of life, we decided to push EAT CLEANER into overdrive. We introduced the line to the trade in March 2009 and already, we are working with Costco and Wegmans and will be meeting with QVC in a week. No one in the company has earned a single dime yet but the 5 of us believe know the long hours, sweat and tears will eventually pay off.

Alibaba has significantly helped me with sourcing items for our business, including bottles and reusable bags. If we were to be given a grant, we would use it to bolster our sales and grassroots marketing efforts and will also invest in a warehouse which will greatly improve our logistics costs. EAT CLEANER mission is to set the record straight on what's on our plates. It's not only a product line - it's a call to action.

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