New online company debuts
Two Long Island childhood friends, Scott Reich and Michael Winik, recently left their respective careers as an attorney and investment banker to pursue their dream of starting a business together, online food market OurHarvest.
“When Mike and I decided to start a business, we knew it had to reflect our shared love of food, address the lifestyles of our fellow Long Islanders, and be socially responsible,” said Reich.
“People want access to high-quality, fresh food at affordable prices, and that’s exactly what OurHarvest offers. We work with local farms and fishermen to bring the best all-natural products we can find to the market at peak freshness while working with community organizations to combat hunger at the same time.”
OurHarvest’s mission is to provide consumers with farm-fresh, natural foods at competitive prices while also supporting Long Island food-based charities and pantries. OurHarvest customers log onto the website and choose a convenient market location and pick-up date from the dropdown menu on the homepage. There are more than 80 choices of fresh, all-natural, high-quality foods, including a wide variety of chicken; grass-fed steaks and ground beef; tuna, salmon, flounder, swordfish, scallops and shrimp; milk and eggs; organic produce; and homemade jams and honey. Additional items are regularly being added to OurHarvest’s product selection.
“Our model is compelling, especially when you compare us to other food suppliers,” noted Winik. “Unlike grocery stores and specialty shops, there are no questions about artificial additives, mislabeled products or where your food comes from. We also ensure that the farmers get their fair share, so everybody wins.”
Unlike community-supported agriculture programs and other farm-to-table models, customers of OurHarvest are not required to pay any registration or subscription fees, and there is no minimum purchase required. For every order of $25 or more, OurHarvest donates a meal to a local food pantry or food bank to help combat hunger on Long Island. To date, more than 1,500 meals have been donated (including to Long Island Cares and Island Harvest), with more donations on the way as demand for continues to rise.
The two co-founders grew up in Roslyn Heights, attended Wheatley High School, and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania together, where they were roommates. They regularly talked about going into business and always wanted to start a company that had strong societal value. Prior to co-founding OurHarvest, Reich practiced law at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP and authored the acclaimed book The Power of Citizenship: Why JFK Matters to a New Generation. Winik worked at Evercore Partners where, in addition to advising some of the world’s largest companies, he ran the firm’s analyst recruiting and #1 ranked internship program. They both serve on the boards of local nonprofit organizations.
OurHarvest visits Garden City every other Saturday morning from 8:30 to 11 a.m., at CrossFit Garden City which is on 585 Commercial Ave. The deadline for ordering for each pick-up is three days before. OurHarvest also has locations in Hicksville, Huntington, Roslyn, New Hyde Park, Port Washington, East Meadow, Merrick and Woodbury. The company was recently honored by County Executive Ed Mangano for its work promoting healthy food, working with local farms and giving back to neighbors in need.
For more information about OurHarvest, or to place an order, visit www.OurHarvest.com or follow them on Facebook at Facebook.com/shopOurHarvest, on Twitter at @Our_Harvest, and Instagram at @OurHarvest.
