Created 5/16/2011
Wholesome Tummies Healthy School Lunch Provider Expands to Midwest
Healthy school lunch provider awards new franchise in Ohio
ORLANDO, Fla. – Monday, May 16, 2011– Wholesome Tummies, an Orlando, Fla.-based company created by two mothers, has awarded its first franchise in the Midwest to a Cincinnati-based executive. This will mark the company’s seventh franchise to launch in less than a year.
Nick Miesen, a nonprofit development professional, discovered Wholesome Tummies through an article in Entrepreneur Magazine and, as a father of three, the concept immediately resonated with him.
“Ever since our first was born, we have been conscious of our children’s nutrition and worked hard to guide their eating habits so they can learn how to make healthy choices,” Miesen said. “We find it fascinating to see how the food they eat and the choices they make affect their behavior and energy level – especially in their ability to listen.”
As a potential franchisee, Miesen distributed an anonymous survey to parents in his community, exploring their opinions on school lunches. More than 83 percent of respondents said they were either dissatisfied or extremely dissatisfied with the quality and healthfulness of the food that their children were being offered through existing school lunch programs.
“I want to make an impact in the Mid-Ohio region by reversing those numbers so parents can be proud of their children’s school lunch programs,” Miesen explained. “Clearly there needs to be a change in our culture.”
Wholesome Tummies serves as a total healthy lunch solution for the nation’s child nutrition crisis. “We remain adamant about children eating foods that are fresh, all-natural and free from artificial ingredients,” said co-founder Samantha Gotlib. “We are faced with an epidemic of childhood obesity because poor food choices are the tradition in our nation’s schools. Our mission is to change that.”
Wholesome Tummies provides thousands of meals to public and private school children each month. Co-founders Debbie Blacher and Samantha Gotlib launched the franchise option last year to expand their mission to change school meal plans from high-fat and processed foods to fresh, natural selections. Franchises have been awarded in Florida in St. Petersburg, South Jacksonville, and North and South Palm Beach County, and around the country in Atlanta, Georgia and Las Vegas, Nevada.
Wholesome Tummies creates foods that cajole children to make healthy food choices. The menus are designed to ensure that developing minds and muscles are fueled by wholesome ingredients. The company’s goal is to develop eating patterns that lead to lifelong good health.