FlexPro Meals, a Kansas City-based meal prep and delivery service, attracts customers nationwide with promises of fresh, healthy, and chef-prepared meals. However, a closer look, including accounts from former employees and company invoices, reveals a stark contrast between the advertised image and the reality of the products offered.
Concerns Raised by Former Employees
Several former employees contacted 41 Action News Investigators after seeing their initial coverage of customer complaints and health code violations at FlexPro's Troost location. These individuals, some of whom left voluntarily and others who were terminated, expressed serious concerns about the company's practices.
Channdra Ohum, who worked at FlexPro until October 2019, was the only former employee willing to be identified, expressing a desire to see the company shut down. Other former employees feared legal retribution from Nathan Corn, FlexPro Meals' founder and president, whose attorney threatened legal action against 41 Action News. One employee stated, "They have lawyers to protect them. We don't. We just have to make a living and take care of our families," explaining their reluctance to appear on camera, as they were seeking new employment.
Alarming Kitchen Conditions and Food Handling Practices
The former employees painted a concerning picture of the kitchen conditions at FlexPro. One employee described unsanitary conditions where food was being prepared. The former employee reported warning management about food handling problems, but nothing was done.
Health Code Violations and Food Safety Concerns
Public records obtained by 41 Action News Investigators revealed a history of health code violations at FlexPro. Since October 2018, health inspectors have found 19 critical violations, including live gnats and flies in the dishwashing area in August 2019. The health department also documented instances of food not being kept at the correct temperature, raising concerns about potential health risks associated with consuming FlexPro meals. "It concerned me a lot. I knew that we were sending out food that had been sitting in a danger zone. The health department has these standards for a reason."
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Repackaged Frozen Food and Misleading Marketing
FlexPro markets "homemade" tamales as one of its meals. Five people who have worked with the company say some of the frozen food ordered by FlexPro was repackaged and sent to customers.
One former employee suggested customers would be better off ordering from their favorite restaurant, stating, "They would be better off getting Door Dash from their favorite restaurant. It's probably better made, probably even healthier for them."
When interviewed about the use of frozen food, Corn directed the interviewer to his attorney. Corn wrote, "The only items we would purchase now like that are for our employees' FREE lunch that we provide everyday". Despite multiple invitations from 41 Action News Investigators, neither Corn nor his attorney agreed to an interview to address the allegations and review the invoices.
Allegations of Image Theft
Adding to the list of concerns, another company, The Mountain Kitchen, reported to 41 Action News Investigators that FlexPro had stolen a picture of its brisket macaroni and cheese. FlexPro removed the images from its site after the owners of the photographs were contacted.
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tags: #are #flexpro #meals #healthy #ingredients