Andrew Harvey wants to take online grocery delivery to the next level.
His business, the Oak Hill Trading Company, is now offering grocery delivery services to the Ithaca, Cortland and Syracuse regions.
Harvey’s passion for good-quality, health-conscientious food started at a young age. The 28-year-old Moravia native recalls helping his mom with meals and caring for his brothers. He would go on to cook in foster homes and pursue a career in food service.
Harvey says he got the idea for his business when he was spending a lot of time in Ithaca.
“Ithaca, for me, is different than any other place,” Harvey said. “It has a very close-knit, small-town feel, despite the fact that it is a fairly large city.”
Ithaca, he says, exposed him to organic, natural and non-GMO food.
“There aren’t very many health food options in smaller towns, which I would blame on the lack of awareness,” Harvey said.
His business carries over 2,000 food products, including organic, non-GMO, gluten-free, vegan and ethnic food options. Staff and volunteers pick up the products from health food stores and deliver or ship them to clients.
The Oak Hill Trading Company's delivery coverage map.
Harvey describes himself as community-driven, interacting and providing service to the same people he brushes shoulders with in local communities.
“It is such a shame that healthier food can be so much more expensive than food that is just downright terrible for you,” Harvey said. “Folks who are on a tight budget are going to put their financial situation before their health. The Oak Hill Trading Company is just getting started, but I hope to one day carry some of the best health food products in the area and offer them at the lowest prices possible.”
The company also has an online publication, The Oak Hill Times, which publishes articles on health nutrition and dieting.
Harvey says his goals extend beyond providing a basic food delivery service. The young entrepreneur wants to build a greater movement around the importance of healthy foods by linking up with health professionals and health food markets.
“Health and happiness go hand in hand, and you can't have one without the other,” Harvey says. “If you truly want to set the course for a healthy lifestyle, it all starts with a healthy and wholesome diet.”
