Who We Are

Built For a Legacy. People-Driven.

Rick Kimbrell founded StartKleen in 2009 to deliver professional, reliable food safety solutions—driven by decades of experience and a culture of accountability. Though our name is newer, our legacy spans three generations in sanitation, chemistry, and compliance.

Today, we serve over 90+ facilities across the U.S., supporting more than 1,500 team members and providing contract sanitation and chemistry services to 200+ food plants. We remain proudly employee focused, 100% debt-free, and committed to doing things the right way for our clients, our team, and the future of food safety.

What Makes StartKleen Different?

We don’t just provide labor or sell detergent; we deliver turnkey food safety solutions designed to protect your brand, streamline your operations, and keep your facility audit-ready every day. With a lean, flat leadership structure, our senior management stays engaged in the field, offering more support and face time than our competitors.


  1. Hands-on, experienced leadership involved in daily operations

  2. client retention over the last 5 years

  3. Custom sanitation programs and training tailored to each facility

  4. Full-service support: labor, equipment, chemistry, and documentation

  5. Field visits from operations, FSQA, and mechanical teams

 

When you work with StartKleen, you’re not outsourcing a task

YOU’RE GAINING A PARTNER.

Riding for the Brand

“Riding for the Brand” isn’t just a slogan. It’s a promise. It means we show up with pride, do the hard things well, and stand behind our work—every shift, every site, every time.

We’re building something that lasts and something we’re proud to pass on to the next generation.

Ray Kimbrell taught others what Legacy Work looks like. Our group would not be assembled if it had not been for him passing that on.

Legacy Work is something that will have meaning when you are gone.

Legacy Work is what we are here to do.

  • Legacy Work is something that will have meaning when you are gone.
  • Legacy Work is not restricted by time or circumstance.
  • Legacy Work shoves ego aside.
  • Legacy Work is intentional.
  • Legacy Work is what made you get just three hours of sleep last night.
  • Legacy Work shows up early and leaves late…and yet time flies.
  • Legacy Work can be risky and doesn’t come with a guarantee.
  • Legacy Work can bind your legacy with dozens or thousands of other legacies.
  • Legacy Work creates ripples you will never even know about.
  • Legacy Work is a choice.

How We Support Our People

At StartKleen, we expect a lot from our teams and therefore give them everything they need to succeed. Our people-first model includes structured programs and department-wide support to ensure no employee is ever left behind.

Site Manager Support Model: In-person visits, weekly check-ins, training, and relief coverage from every department

Dos Amigos: Pairs new hires with mentors who guide them from day one and help them grow

StartKleen WINS: Our leadership development program for high-potential team members, combining technical training with personal growth

Ride-Along & Internships: For students and early-career professionals to explore the industry and build meaningful experience

We invest in our people because our people are the reason we succeed.

Compliance Isn’t a Department—It’s a Standard

From day one, StartKleen has been grounded in doing the right thing, even when it’s hard. That commitment shows up in everything we do:


  1. Social Responsibility: Ethical labor practices, fair pay, and accurate, transparent payroll

  2. Environmental Responsibility: Water conservation, biodegradable products, container recycling

  3. Economic Responsibility: Right-sized pricing with proper resourcing—no cut corners, no shortcuts

We don’t aim to be the cheapest or the biggest. Our quality standards create our trusted brand.

This Is Who We Are

StartKleen is more than a sanitation company. We’re a family, a legacy, and a team of people who believe in meaningful work. We protect food safety, support each other, and ride for the brand—every night, in every plant.