An Entrepreneur with an Appetite for Success
Last Tuesday, I realized that I had forgotten to pack a lunch. Options abound within blocks of our 1200 New Hampshire Ave office, but over the summer I have grown tired of ordering the same meals from Potbelly’s, Meiwah, and Qdoba. Thankfully, a friend had told me about a new service called MunchQuick. Navigating to the website, I saw the meal of the day was Chicken Parm. Done. I ordered, and in precisely 11 minutes held the hefty package of food in my hands.
It was good, really good, and only $6. My only complaint was the flexy plastic fork and knife, which I have been told will be replaced soon with a more robust set of utensils. I have ordered a few more times from them over the past days, and my coworkers have started doing so as well. Monday’s special was a grilled chicken avocado mango salad which MunchQuick described as, “Sweet champagne mangoes pair superb with creamy Haas avocados, walnuts, roasted sunflowers, and grilled chicken for a sweet-savory salad to delight your taste buds.” It was just as delicious as it sounds.
Since I now count myself as a loyal customer, I caught up with the owner, Asad Yusup recently for a short Q&A:
Where does the food come from? How do you deliver it so quickly at such low prices?
At MunchQuick we cook our own food and deliver it to you curbside, within twenty minutes or less. Our average delivery time ranges from about 12-15 minutes. The menu changes every day, and everything is processed through our web and forthcoming mobile app. You can track your order in real time, and it takes no more than 30 seconds to place from start to finish.
The secret to our business model is the food incubators that we can fit into a compact car, and can hold food at ServSafe temperatures for up to 4 hours. Each incubator can hold up to sixty meals at a time. On top of that, we have partnered with Martha's Table, a local charity, to donate meals to them regularly. Our goal is to not only build a profitable business, but to create a company that supports the local community.
What is your background?
I am a college drop-out with a background in music and technology. I have already had numerous start-ups, even though I am just in my early twenties, including a concert promotions and touring business. Leith, my co-founder, is a recent alum of American University. He used to own an on-demand hookah delivery business. Our chief culinary officer has owned multiple restaurants in Central Asia.
What made you decide to start MunchQuick?
I noticed the opportunity in Washington, D.C. when I could not find a healthy, affordable, and convenient way to order and eat food. D.C. is the perfect place to launch our business because of its strong focus on healthy living. The District of Columbia was recently voted the healthiest city in the entire country.
How have things been going?
The support in D.C. has been amazing! Since our launch on June 30, we have sold out every day, and are growing at 14 to 20 percent per week. Our mobile app is coming this week as well.
Where do you see the business going in the future?
Our goal is to expand beyond Northwest D.C. We want to eventually be in Northern Virginia and Baltimore. The long term goal is to offer MunchQuick to cities all across the Northeast and the rest of the country.
What is the hardest part about running the business?
Meeting demand. We are constantly looking for talented workers to join our company.
Have taxes and government regulations affected you?
Washington, D.C. makes it hard to start a business, despite recent trends toward the acceptance of new, emerging food start-ups. It was an expensive and time-consuming process to get all of our licenses in place. That being said, DCI (D.C. Innovates) is actively helping new tech start-ups acquire funding through the D.C. Tech Fund. There is hope that eventually, the D.C. government will help new businesses grow, rather than impede their formation.