From Plow-to-Porch, Harvie Delivers on Local and Thoughtfully Sourced, Farm Fresh Ingredients Direct to Your Front Door
by Reese Randall
July 28, 2021
Looking to make a sustainable culinary connection? Harvie, a customizable, home-delivered grocery box of curated ingredients sourced from local farms has all the fixings of fresh, farm-to-table provisions down to a science.
“As an alternative to shopping big box chain grocery stores where produce and ingredients could be from anywhere, at Harvie we prioritize sourcing products from local farms and artisans,” says Simon Huntley, founder and CEO of Harvie.
From fruit and vegetables to bread, maple syrup and pasta, Harvie — a playful spin on the word harvest — helps consumers buy local products, reduce food waste and customize a grocery list all with the click of a button. Harvie is a membership-based platform combining convenience and technology for consumers and farmers alike.
The goal of Harvie is to help local farms compete in an ever-changing food marketplace. For the consumer, Harvie makes it simple to customize your grocery list making it seamless to support local farms. The ordering process works with members placing their orders ahead of time for their grocery box. In the box can be any product from eggs, milk, cream and half-and-half to dried goods such as flour, cornmeal and beans; and responsibly-raised and sustainable meats, too. The veggies, fruits and meats are from western and eastern Pennsylvania.
“Members can’t help but build an amazing box,” says Huntley.
There are 150 farms that utilize Harvie’s software platform. Local farmers receive consumer visibility with help with marketing their harvest to Harvie members through email and social media year-round.
“A lot of people are interested in eating well and locally fifty-two weeks out of the year,” says Huntley. “When members sign-up their information is entered into Harvie’s algorithm and we send an email to each member.”
Harvie’s buyers talk to their farmers and producers to source everything on the member’s shopping list. Orders are sent out and delivered on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
“Since we have 1,500 members in the Pittsburgh area, our priority beyond the accessibility we provide our members to locally farmed product is the issue around waste,” says Huntley. “We reuse all of the packaging from every delivery, including the cardboard box, liners and ice packs. The amount of material that comes back after delivery use is astronomical. So, it makes me feel good to recycle knowing none of it is going into a landfill somewhere,” says Huntley. “The practice of recycling is something that reflects our overall values.”
Huntley’s value system can be traced back to his childhood.
“I grew up on a farm in Greene County, just south of Pittsburgh,” reflects Huntley. “However, I was more interested in tech and computer science than I was into farming. I was mad when I had to feed the sheep or make hay, but when I left for college and after being away from home, I realized this is a unique area to be a part of.”
Huntley’s father was a coal miner and an underground mechanic and his mother was an English professor at West Virginia University. Linking the economic chain to local agriculture made up of good, small family farms in the Pittsburgh area is top-of-mind for the Penn State University graduate. Huntley’s interest in how to create a livelihood for small farmers is his passion.
“One of the most important things for our earth is to take care of our land and to feed our cities,” explains Huntley who started the business in 2006, and launched Harvie in 2016. “We believe supporting small farms is a powerful model for change in our economy and labor practices. Most importantly we want to create a good livelihood for farmers along the way.”
Readers interested in trying out Harvie for home-delivered local groceries, go to https://harviepittsburgh.com/earth. For a limited time, Harvie is offering 50% off your first box when you use EARTHDAY50 at check out.
For more information about Harvie, go to harvie.farm
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