Over the past year, our routines have changed so much, and it’s a wonder what habits will stick with us when things go back to “normal” — including how we shop for our groceries.
Harvie, a Pittsburgh-based start up that provides home-delivered grocery boxes directly sourced from more than 75 Pennsylvania-based farmers and artisans, is on a mission to be a part of that answer.
Back in January, Harvie conducted a survey that revealed changes in people’s buying habits during the pandemic.
“The pandemic has shown us all the value of community, caring for our neighbors, and staying healthy,” said Nicole Whalen, Harvie’s marketing director. “This has accelerated shifts in the ways families are sourcing their food. And now it's up to farmers, producers, and small businesses to harness this momentum to give consumers what they want and create lasting change in our food system.”
Among the nearly 2,500 people who took the survey, 76.3% reported an increased desire to support local farmers and suppliers, and they also noted an interest in supporting local restaurants through take-out and delivery.
“And the ways consumers want to be able to get that food is changing too, with 57.7% of respondents more interested in home delivery of groceries, and 34.9% expecting to maintain that habit post-pandemic,” Nicole said.
Now, Harvie is hoping to take their model mainstream and recently launched a crowdfunded investment through Honeycomb Credit. Their vision is to connect 5 million households with local farmers and producers on their platform by 2030.
“If we can pull this off, it would give local farmers and producers the ability to really compete with the big guys that currently rule the grocery market,” Nicole said. “When consumers prioritize sourcing their groceries locally, they strengthen the local food system, making it more resilient. This helps preserve local farmland, provides jobs locally, reduces waste, promotes more sustainable agricultural practices, and reduces emissions from transporting food from field to plate.”
To learn more about what you can get in a Harvie box, the benefits of buying directly from local farmers, and why you should care about where your food comes from, read our full Q-and-A with Nicole Whalen from Harvie.