After many Q&As with various KBK team members, without further ado, please enjoy this interview with our fearless founder, Joe Lopez!

How long have you been eating paleo? Was it a rough or easy transition? How strict are you with staying paleo? I’ve been eating Paleo for at least 5 years now, and it was a tough transition because I used to eat a lot of bread and wheat products! I lived in Italy for a year with the Army and so of course I had pasta all the time. Plus they put that innocent looking tray of fresh bread and olive oil on the table at the start of every meal, and how can you resist. But after trying Paleo and noticing the big difference in both my fitness and energy levels, I never looked back.

I can’t claim to be strict Paleo, because I definitely like to go out and have a drink with friends! I also eat white rice and an occasional bowl of corn chips with guacamole, but I’m 100% gluten and dairy free, and I rarely shop in the center of the grocery store for anything anymore. I grew up in a Mediterranean family, so my staples have always included a lot of grilled fish, meat and fresh vegetables. And my favorite cuisine is Japanese-I’m a sucker for good sushi!

You have a military background. How does a KBK meal compare to an MRE? ;) There’s nothing more exciting after a long day of military training than a preservative-filled three-year-old MRE meal of Corned Beef and Hash, haha. It’s the kind of meal that only tastes good after adding a large amount of Tabasco sauce!

I like to think our KBK meals are a bit fresher and tastier.

What gave you the spark to want to run your own business when there’s plenty of career opportunities with your degrees? And why a paleo meal-delivery service?
Well, I really love fitness and good food, so I thought why sit behind a desk all day when I can do something fun that also benefits other people. And I see there is a strong market need for high quality meals. There are very few good food options in NY and NJ, and most reasonably priced restaurants use cheap ingredients and bad oils. We need to change that! Plus working for yourself is always much more rewarding than working for someone else.

We hear your brother Andy introduced you to CrossFit. What was the first workout like and how badly did he kick your butt? ;) Andy is a beast. The first time I went with him to do a WOD at CF South Bay a couple years ago, we had to do overhead squats. I could barely do 95lbs and I practically fell over because of a lack of flexibility. Let’s just say he ran circles around me!

What would you say to those who haven’t tried KBK meals yet, to convince them they should? Where else can you get a really high quality meal these days for under $10? And if you find one, do you know what oils and ingredients they use or how fresh they are? We pride ourselves in giving you really healthy meals where you know exactly what’s in them. And they taste great—just ask your friends and coaches who are already hooked!