Happy 19 Year Anniversary - Celebrating The Journey

How a Scary First Trip to Europe Sparked a Global Food Allergy Communication Solution

Nineteen years ago, I returned from my first trip to Europe feeling hungry and scared. My backpack was much lighter than when I’d left - mainly because I had eaten every single granola bar I brought with me. I hadn’t anticipated just how hard it would be to communicate my food allergies in a different language.

The result? Way too many meals at McDonald's, and missing out on the amazing local cuisine - simply out of fear.

When I got home, I knew something had to change. At the time, I was in my fourth year of business school and decided to turn an idea into action.

That’s when I launched AllergyTranslation.com - a simple website that allowed users to create customized allergy cards in different languages. It only supported a couple of languages, and the card design was incredibly basic - but it was a start.

As word spread, momentum started to build. The turning point came when I was invited to showcase the cards on The Martha Stewart Show. What a thrill!

Inspired by the growing interest, I went back to school and earned my master’s degree in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management at Queen’s University in Kingston, ON. It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I met incredible people - supportive professors, fellow dreamers, and one unforgettable business coach named Andrew Moss, who believed in me and my idea like no one ever had before.

Launching Equal Eats During a Pandemic: Risk or Opportunity?

During that time, I made the bold decision to blow up the old business and start from scratch. I dove into fresh research, developed a new brand, and set a new mission. That’s how Equal Eats was born - right in the middle of the pandemic. It seemed like a terrible idea at first. No one was traveling or dining out. But that quiet period turned into a gift. It gave me time to experiment, test, and figure out the tech.

Helping 50,000+ People Travel and Eat Safely

Now, five years later, we have a growing international team - all of us personally affected by food allergies, celiac disease, or dietary restrictions. We've helped nearly 50,000 people travel and dine more safely.

And me? I’ll never again set out on an adventure with nothing but granola bars and McDonald's in my future. I travel with confidence now, and I’m incredibly proud of the journey that’s brought us here.

Kyle Dine
CEO & Founder
Equal Eats