▁company ▁began ▁in ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁as ▁one ▁food ▁tr uck ▁serving ▁the ▁area ▁around ▁the ▁Massachusetts ▁Institute ▁of ▁Technology ▁( MIT ). ▁ ▁As ▁of ▁summer ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁Clo ver ▁Food ▁Lab ▁had ▁some ▁ 4 0 0 ▁employees ▁operating ▁in ▁ 1 2 ▁restaur ants ▁across ▁the ▁greater ▁Boston ▁area . ▁ ▁Environment al ▁vision ▁The ▁company ▁was ▁founded ▁by ▁A yr ▁Mu ir , ▁a ▁gradu ate ▁of ▁M IT ▁in ▁Material ▁Science ▁and ▁Harvard ▁Business ▁School ▁M BA ▁program . ▁Mu ir , ▁a ▁distant ▁cousin ▁of ▁natural ist ▁John ▁Mu ir , ▁has ▁c ited ▁environmental ▁motiv ations ▁as ▁a ▁driving ▁force ▁behind ▁the ▁company ' s ▁creation . ▁He ▁wishes ▁" to ▁shr ink ▁the ▁e colog ical ▁foot print ▁of ▁the ▁food ▁industry ▁by ▁making ▁fresh , ▁local , ▁sust ain able ▁veget arian ▁food ▁as ▁common ▁and ▁convenient ▁as ▁the ▁fare ▁at ▁Bur ger ▁King ▁or ▁Mc Donald ' s ". ▁The ▁company ' s ▁food ▁tr uck s ▁are ▁de comm ission ed ▁and ▁retro f itted ▁cargo ▁vehicles ▁that ▁use ▁rec yc led ▁veget able ▁oil ▁to ▁help ▁them ▁run . ▁ ▁All ▁of ▁the ▁company ' s ▁ut ens ils , ▁nap kins , ▁and ▁other ▁items ▁are ▁comp ost able . ▁ ▁Despite ▁Clo ver ▁Food ▁Lab ' s ▁focus ▁on ▁local , ▁sust ain able ▁and ▁veget arian ▁food , ▁Mu ir ▁cons ci ously ▁avoid s ▁brand ing ▁the ▁company ' s