Who We Are

StartKleen team members at a food processing facility – people-driven sanitation

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. StartKleen hands-on leadership involved in daily operations icon
    Hands-on, experienced leadership involved in daily operations
  2. StartKleen 97% client retention over the last five years icon
    client retention over the last 5 years
  3. StartKleen custom sanitation programs tailored to each facility icon
    Custom sanitation programs and training tailored to each facility
  4. StartKleen full-service support – labor equipment chemistry documentation icon
    Full-service support: labor, equipment, chemistry, and documentation
  5. StartKleen field visits from operations FSQA and mechanical teams icon
    Field visits from operations, FSQA, and mechanical teams

 

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

YOU’RE GAINING A PARTNER.

StartKleen sun logo – gaining a trusted food safety partner

StartKleen Riding for the Brand – team pride and accountability in food safety

StartKleen Riding for the Brand cowboy icon – commitment to excellence

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.

StartKleen Legacy Work – building generational impact in food safety sanitation

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

StartKleen WINS logo – leadership development program for sanitation professionalsStartKleen Dos Amigos logo – sanitation chemistry and cleaning solutions

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

StartKleen team members supported through mentorship and career development

StartKleen compliance team ensuring food safety regulatory standards

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. StartKleen social responsibility icon – ethical labor practices and fair pay
    Social Responsibility: Ethical labor practices, fair pay, and accurate, transparent payroll
  2. StartKleen environmental responsibility icon – water conservation and recycling
    Environmental Responsibility: Water conservation, biodegradable products, container recycling
  3. StartKleen economic responsibility icon – right-sized pricing and quality standards
    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.