116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Kiva Iowa Profile: Serving up success
Six months after arriving in Iowa City, Alex Smith’s meal business is taking off
By Rob Merritt, - NewBoCo
Jun. 25, 2023 5:00 am
IOWA CITY — Alex Smith has a unique understanding of how hardworking entrepreneurs don’t have time to prepare meals.
After all, she’s an entrepreneur herself.
Smith is the owner of Plated Table, a meal delivery and catering business that opened in Iowa City in February. Plated Table aims to make personal chef services available to local families, including weekly meal deliveries, event catering and multicourse dining experiences for dinner parties in people's homes.
“All of my menus are centered around locally grown food and celebrate seasonality and eating as part of an act of community,” Smith says.
While Smith started her business working with families to create menus that fit with what they needed, she says she quickly discovered business-owner clients “who struggled to feed themselves” because their work schedules kept them so busy.
Smith says her goal is “meals that take 20 minutes, max.”
“It's been trial and error,” she says. “When you're working in the food world, it can be difficult to keep things at a low price point. But I always try to keep my friends, and people my age, in mind. I try to make things accessible, as much as possible.”
Plated Table has been growing so quickly in Iowa City that Smith knew she’d need to invest in additional equipment. That’s why she sought a loan through Kiva Iowa.
Kiva gives entrepreneurs access to a microlending platform to raise zero-interest, zero-fee loans with extended grace periods. The loans can be for up to $15,000, and lenders can give as little as $25 at a time. Smith’s $8,500 loan was successfully funded in just six days.
I felt so much support from Iowa City since I moved here,” Smith says. “When I decided to go with Kiva, I felt confident that my community would support me, and that I wouldn't have a hard time getting funded. And in fact, it was funded within five or six days. It was really gratifying. Very exciting to see all of your friends showing support and wishing you luck."
Smith is gearing up to open a small events space in Iowa City that can be rented for dinner parties and holiday parties. She would like it to be “a chill wine bar and snack spot,” as well as a location where she can run her catering program.
“A lot of people have said that this service transforms their lives,” she says. “If they had time, they'd be going to the farmers market to buy ingredients, but that just isn’t realistic for them. By offering this service, they say it’s like eating in a restaurant while staying in your house.”
To learn more about Plated Table, visit them on Instagram or on their website, PlatedTableCatering.com. To learn more about Kiva Iowa, visit newbo.co/kiva.